titf 

PRINCETON,  N.  J. 


% 


PRESENTED  BY 


THE  PRESBYTERIAN  BOARD  OF  PUBLICATION 


Digitized  by  the  Internet  Archive 
in  2016 


NATIVES  OF  AFRICA. 


/ 

SCENES 


ADVENTURES 

IN 


AFRICA, 


COLLECTED  FROM 


MOFFAT’S  MISSIONARY  LABOURS  IN  AFRICA, 


PHILADELPHIA: 


PRESBYTERIAN  BOARD  OF  PUBLICATION. 

PAUL  T.  JONES,  PUBLISHING  AGENT. 

1844. 


Printed  by 

WILLIAM  S.  MaRTIEN. 


CONTENTS. 


Page. 

Preface, 13 

Introduction, 17 

The  Lion  and  Giraffe, 25 

The  Deserted  Mother, 27 

Singular  Traits  of  the  Lion, 30 

The  Fright, - 33 

Thirst  in  the  Desert, 35 

The  Narrow  Escape,  - - - - - - 3G 

Beasts  of  Prey, 38 

The  Poisoned  Pool, 40 

Heat  and  Thirst, 41 

The  Storm, 47 

The  Wild  Dog,  - --  --  --50 

The  Sea  Cow,  --------  51 

The  Assault  and  Murder, 52 

Stratagem  for  Taking  Game, 57 

Burial  of  the  Dead,  - - - - - 58 

Wild  Dogs  Hunting, 60 

The  Hyena,  - 63 

Retribution,  -------  64 


12 


CONTENTS. 


Page. 

The  Locusts, 67 

The  Thieves, 71 

The  Lions  at  Night, 73 

A Night  Adventure,  * 77 

Singular  Custom, 79 

The  Native  Blacksmith, 80 

Houses  in  a Tree, 83 

Native  Eloquence, 85 

The  Captive  Redeemed,  - ^ - - - - 88 

Escape  from  a Tiger, 92 

The  Convert, 93 

Missionary  Success, 96 

Preaching  to  the  Natives, 102 

Teaching  the  Letters, 105 

Change  Effected, 108 

The  Contest, Ill 


PREFACE. 


The  following  sketches  are  extracted 
from  a deeply  interesting  work  written 
by  the  Rev.  Robert  Moffat,  descriptive 
of  his  missionary  labours  and  personal 
trials  in  Southern  Africa.  Amidst  a 
rude  and  barbarous  people,  destitute  of 
the  advantages  of  Christian  institutions, 
and  engaged  in  constant  and  cruel  war- 
fare, the  situation  of  the  missionary  was 
one  of  great  privation  and  peril.  His 
courage,  however,  seemed  to  increase 
with  the  number  and  magnitude  of  his 
difficulties,  and  being  anxiously  desir- 
ous of  communicating  to  these  poor 
benighted  people  the  blessings  of  the 
Gospel,  he  resolved  to  remain  at  his  post 
at  every  personal  hazard.  He  tried  every 
winning  method  to  gain  their  attention 


14 


PREFACE. 


and  confidence,  and  to  induce  them  to 
abandon  their  savage  habits.  Long  he 
seemed  to  labour  in  vain,  but  at  length 
he  had  the  unspeakable  gratification  of 
seeing  them  gradually  adopting  the  cus- 
toms of  civilized  life,  and  what  was  still 
better,  embracing  that  religion  which 
reveals  the  only  way  of  salvation.  Some 
of  these  sketches  will  point  out  the  pleas- 
ing success  of  his  pious  efforts  to  raise 
the  character  and  hopes  of  the  degraded 
African. 

From  the  nature  of  the  country,  which 
is  wild  and  uncultivated,  the  traveller 
through  Southern  Africa,  is  exposed  to 
oppressive  heat,  hunger  and  thirst,  and 
to  the  attacks  of  savage  beasts  of  prey. 
Mr.  Moffat  encountered  all  these,  in  his 
various  journeys,  with  great  endurance 
and  courage.  Many  of  his  adventures 
we  have,  in  this  little  volume,  brought 
together,  not  only  for  the  entertainment 
of  our  young  readers,  but  to  give  them 
an  insight  into  the  state  of  the  country 


PREFACE. 


15 


The  natural  history  of  animals  forms  a 
pleasing  subject  of  study,  and  we  shall 
have  accomplished  one  of  our  objects  if, 
by  these  sketches,  we  inspire  a taste  for 
such  studies.  All  the  works  of  God 
display  his  power  and  wisdom,  and  the 
more  closely  we  regard  them,  the  more 
we  will  be  inclined  to  reverence  the 
great  Creator.  Another  object,  however, 
we  have  in  view.  While  our  young 
readers  are  entertaining  themselves  with 
these  sketches,  we  wish  them  to  contrast 
their  situation  with  that  of  the  poor 
African,  and  remember  Him  who  hath 
made  them  to  differ.  The  hardships, 
dangers  and  miseries  on  the  one  hand, 
compared  with  the  plenty,  security  and 
enjoyments  on  the  other,  should  inspire 
the  reader  with  gratitude  to  that  God, 
who  is  the  giver  of  every  good  gift. 
Let  the  missionary  of  the  cross  also  be 
affectionately  remembered,  who  forsakes 
the  comforts  of  home  and  friends,  and  at 
the  hazard  of  life  goes  to  teach  the  far 


16 


PREFACE. 


distant  heathen.  The  least  we  can  do, 
while  enjoying  our  own  happy  firesides, 
is  to  encourage  him  in  his  labours,  and 
sustain  him  by  our  prayers. 

THE  EDITOR. 


INTRODUCTION. 


The  continent  of  Africa,  though  probably 
the  most  ancient  field  of  geographical  enter- 
prise, still  is,  and  there  is  reason  to  believe 
that  it  will  long  continue  to  be,  the  least  ex- 
plored portion  of  our  earth.  Though  once 
the  nursery  of  science  and  literature,  the  em- 
porium of  commerce,  and  the  seat  of  an  em- 
pire which  contended  with  Rome  for  the 
sovereignty  of  the  world, — the  cradle  of  the 
ancient  church,  and  the  asylum  of  the  infant 
Saviour,  yet  Africa  still  presents  a compara- 
tive blank  on  the  map,  as  well  as  in  the  his- 
tory of  the  world.  Though,  according  to 
Herodotus,  it  was  circumnavigated  by  the 
Phoenicians  long  before  the  Christian  era,  and 
its  coast  was  the  first  object  of  maritime  dis- 
covery after  the  compass  had  inspired  seamen 
with  confidence  to  leave  shores  and  land- 
marks, and  stand  forth  on  the  boundless  deep; 
yet  to  this  day  its  interior  regions  continue  a 
mystery  to  the  white  man,  a land  of  darkness 
and  of  terror  to  the  most  fearless  and  enterpri- 
sing traveller.  Although  in  no  country  has 
there  been  such  a sacrifice  of  men  to  the  en- 
2 


18 


INTRODUCTION. 


terprise  of  discovery — of  men  the  most  intel- 
ligent and  undaunted,  of  men  impelled  not 
by  gross  cupidity,  but  by  refined  philan- 
thropy;— yet,  notwithstanding  such  suffering 
and  waste  of  human  life,  we  are  only  ac- 
quainted with  the  fringes  of  that  immense 
continent,  and  a few  lineaments  at  no  great 
distance  from  its  shores. 

The  inhabitants  of  South  Africa  are  sepa- 
rated into  three  great  divisions,  Hottentots, 
Corannas,  and  lesser  and  greater  Namaquas. 
From  time  immemorial  these  have  been  the 
boundaries  of  their  habitations,  while  the 
desert  wastes  and  barren  mountain  ravines, 
which  intervened,  became  the  refuge  and 
domains  of  the  Bushmen,  who  are  emphati- 
cally the  children  of  the  desert. 

All  these  possess  nearly  the  same  physical 
characteristics,  the  same  manners  and  cus- 
toms. I have  had  in  my  presence  genuine 
Hottentots,  Corannas  and  Namaquas,  who 
had  met  from  their  respective  and  distant 
tribes,  for  the  first  time,  and  they  conversed 
with  scarcely  any  difficulty.  All  use  the 
same  weapons,  the  quiver,  bow,  and  poison- 
ed arrows,  of  which  the  tribes  beyond  are 
ignorant,  except  such  as  border  on  them,  like 
the  Batlapis,  who  say  they  adopted  that  new 
mode  of  warfare  in  order  to  compete  with 
them  and  the  Bushmen,  from  both  of  whom 
they  obtained  these  weapons,  which  they 
have  not  yet  learned  to  manufacture. 

The  Bushmen  are  the  most  remarkable 
portion  of  the  Hottentot  nation.  They  are 


INTRODUCTION. 


19 


to  be  found  scattered,  though  thinly,  among 
all  the  Bechuana  tribes  of  the  interior  with 
which  we  are  acquainted,  even  as  far  as  the 
Mampoor  lake,  about  eight  hundred  miles 
north  of  Lattakoo.  The  Marosa,  or  Baroa 
Bushmen,  are  found  of  the  same  description  as 
those  just  beyond  the  boundaries  of  the  colo- 
ny; and  from  the  oldest  traditions  we  can  find 
among  the  Corannas  and  Namaquas,  who  are 
the  unmixed  Hottentots,  as  also  from  the  Be- 
chuanas,  it  may  be  demonstrated,  that  they 
existed  a wandering  people,  without  homes, or 
cattle,  or  even  nationality  of  character.  That 
they  descended  from  Hottentots,  requires  little 
argument  to  prove.  Connected  with  each  of 
the  towns  among  that  people,  there  are  great 
numbers  of  what  are  called  “Balala,”  poor 
ones,  who  stand  in  the  same  relation  to  the 
Bechuanas  in  which  the  Bushmen  formerly 
stood  to  the  Hottentots,  and  whose  origin 
doubtless  was  of  the  same  nature.  These 
Balala  were  once  inhabitants  of  the  towns, 
and  have  been  permitted  or  appointed  to  live 
in  country  places  for  the  purpose  of  procu- 
ring skins  of  wild  animals,  wild  honey,  and 
roots,  for  their  respective  chiefs. 

Though  in  general  they  are  able  to  state 
to  what  chief  or  tribe  they  belong,  yet,  from 
want  of  intercourse,  and  from  desolating 
wars,  which  are  only  waged  where  there  is 
a prospect  of  plunder,  great  numbers  of  them 
become,  in  their  isolated  position,  independ- 
ent. They  are  never  permitted  to  keep  cat- 
tle, and  are  exposed  to  the  caprice,  cupidity 


20 


INTRODUCTION. 


and  tyranny  of  the  town  lords,  whenever 
they  happen  to  come  in  their  way.  They 
live  a hungry  life,  being  dependent  on  the 
chase,  wild  roots,  berries,  locusts,  and  indeed 
any  thing  eatable  that  comes  within  their 
reach;  and  when  they  have  a more  than 
usual  supply,  they  will  bury  it  in  the  earth, 
from  their  superiors,  who  are  in  the  habit  of 
taking  what  they  please.  Resistance  on  their 
part  would  be  instantly  avenged  with  the 
deadly  javelin.  When  hunting  parties  go 
out  to  kill  game,  the  Balala,  men  and  wo- 
men, are  employed  to  carry  grievous  bur- 
dens of  flesh  to  the  rendezvous  of  the  hun- 
ters; in  return  for  which  they  receive  the 
offals  of  the  meat,  and  are  made  drudges  so 
long  as  the  party  remains.  They  are  never 
permitted  to  wear  the  furs  of  foxes  and  other 
animals  they  obtain.  The  flesh  they  may 
eat;  but  the  skins  are  conveyed  to  the  towns, 
for  which  they  obtain  a small  piece  of  to- 
bacco, or  an  old  spear  or  knife.  Indeed,  all 
the  valuable  skins  of  the  larger  animals, 
which  they  sometimes  procure  by  hunting 
and  pitfalls,  as  well  as  the  better  portions  of 
the  meat,  they  have  to  yield  to  their  nominal 
masters,  except  when  they  succeed  in  secre- 
ting the  whole  for  their  own  use.  From  the 
famishing  life  to  which  they  are  exposed, 
their  external  appearance  and  stature  are 
precisely  to  the  Bechuanas  what  the  Bush- 
men are  to  the  Hottentots. 

Their  servile  state,  their  scanty  clothing, 
their  exposure  to  the  inclemency  of  the 


INTRODUCTION. 


21 


weather,  and  their  extreme  poverty,  have, 
as  may  be  easily  conceived,  a deteriorating 
influence  on  their  character  and  condition. 
They  are  generally  less  in  stature,  and  though 
not  deficient  in  intellect,  the  life  they  lead 
gives  a melancholy  cast  to  their  features,  and 
from  constant  intercourse  with  beasts  of  prey 
and  serpents  in  their  path,  as  well  as  expo- 
sure to  harsh  treatment,  they  appear  shy,  and 
have  a wild  and  frequently  quick  suspicious 
look.  Nor  can  this  be  wondered  at,  when 
it  is  remembered  that  they  associate  with 
savage  beasts,  from  the  lion  that  roams  abroad 
by  night  and  day,  to  the  deadly  serpent  which 
infests  their  path,  keeping  them  always  on 
the  alert  during  their  perambulations.  All 
this  and  much  more  which  might  be  said  of 
the  Balala,  may  also  with  the  strictest  pro- 
priety be  affirmed  of  the  Bushmen.  Any  one 
familiarly  acquainted  with  the  interior,  can 
have  no  doubt  as  to  the  origin  and  the  cor- 
rectness of  the  description  given  of  the  “ Bec- 
huana  Bushmen,”  as  Mr.  Campbell  calls 
them,  and  of  whom  he  says,  “ they  are  a 
people  greatly  despised  by  all  the  surround- 
ing tribes.”  Their  numbers  have  also  been 
increased  by  fugitives  from  other  towns  and 
villages,  which  have  been  reduced  by  devas- 
tating wars  from  peace  and  plenty,  to  the 
most  abject  poverty,  and  the  inhabitants 
forced  to  flee  to  the  desert  for  sustenance, 
hardly  disputed  with  the  beasts  of  prey.  From 
this  class  of  people,  the  Tamahas,  or  Red 
people,  as  the  etymology  of  the  word  imports, 


22 


INTRODUCTION. 


who  are  by  the  Griquas  called  Red  Kafirs, 
arose.  They  formed  a considerable  body  in 
the  days  of  Molehabangue  the  father  of  Mo- 
thibi,  the  present  chief  of  the  Batlapis,  who, 
in  his  commandoes  for  the  capture  of  cattle, 
was  wont  to  take  them  with  him.  Taught 
this  mode  of  warfare,  and  being  of  an  intre- 
pid character,  they  sallied  forth  and  took 
cattle  for  themselves,  which  Molehabangue’s 
generous  disposition  allowed  them  to  keep, 
and  they  became  an  independent  tribe,  con- 
tinuing the  faithful  allies  of  the  Batlapis. 

That  such  were  the  Bushmen  formerly, 
there  can  be  no  doubt;  and  it  is  equally  cer- 
tain their  numbers  were  increased  by  parties 
of  Hottentots,  robbed,  and  compelled  to  aban- 
don for  ever  the  land  of  their  ancestors;  and 
who  naturally  sought  to  satisfy  their  wants 
by  a predatory  warfare,  and  thus  taught  the 
Bushmen  to  become  the  pirates  of  the  desert. 
Hence  arose  that  kind  of  policy,  once  sanc- 
tioned by  the  Cape  colonial  government,  of 
extermination,  on  which  it  is  impossible  to 
reflect  without  horror.  It  appears  from  the 
earliest  records  on  the  subject,  and  especially 
from  the  journals  of  those  engaged  in  the 
work,  that  the  Bushmen  were  once  very  nu- 
merous. I have  traversed  those  regions  in 
which,  according  to  the  testimony  of  the 
farmers,  thousands  once  dwelt,  drinking  at 
their  own  fountains,  and  killing  their  own 
game;  but  now,  alas,  scarcely  a family  is  to 
be  seen!  It  is  impossible  to  look  over  these 
now  uninhabited  plains  and  mountain-glens 


INTRODUCTION. 


23 


without  feeling  the  deepest  melancholy,  while 
the  winds  moaning  in  the  vale  seem  to  echo 
back  the  sound,  “ Where  are  they?”  In  this 
more  enlightened  age,  the  farmers  cannot 
refer  to  the  melancholy  history  of  that  unfor- 
tunate race  without  feelings  of  regret,  while 
it  is  but  justice  to  add,  that  many  of  the  far- 
mers made  strenuous  efforts,  and  collected 
thousands  of  cattle  and  sheep,  which  they 
presented  to  the  neighbouring  Bushmen,  hop- 
ing to  induce  them  to  settle,  and  live  by  breed- 
ing cattle;  but  these  efforts  always  failed.  It 
was  too  late ; past  sufferings,  and  past  offences 
on  both  sides,  had  produced  a spirit  of  hatred 
so  universal,  that  it  was  of  no  avail  to  pacify 
one  party,  while  thousands  were  thirsting  for 
revenge  and  plunder.  Their  numbers  are 
now  comparatively  few,  even  among  the 
tribes  far  beyond  the  present  limits  of  the 
colony,  from  the  same  mutual  strife. 

The  Kafirs,  the  next  African  tribe  to 
which  I shall  briefly  refer,  live  beyond  the 
Fish  River,  on  the  eastern  boundary  of  the 
colony.  At  an  earlier  period  they  possessed 
much  of  that  part  of  Albany  now  inhabited 
by  English  farmers  and  Hottentots,  though  it 
is  presumed,  on  very  good  grounds,  that  the 
Hottentot  country  formerly  extended  a con- 
siderable distance  into  that  of  the  Kafirs. 
The  Kafirs  form  one  tribe  of  the  Great  Bec- 
huana  family,  and  probably  emigrated  from 
the  direction  of  Delagoa  Bay,  till  they  came 
in  contact  with  the  Hottentots  along  the  coast. 
Their  origin  must  be  traced  to  the  same 


24 


INTRODUCTION. 


source  as  that  of  the  numerous  tribes  of  the 
Bechuanas,  from  the  affinity  of  languages 
spoken  throughout  the  eastern  part  of  the 
continent  of  Africa.  Their  national  character 
is  bold  and  warlike,  and  their  maintaining 
their  independence  to  the  present  day,  after 
all  their  conflicts  with  the  colony,  and  espe- 
cially in  the  late  war,  when  no  less  a sum 
than  two  hundred  and  forty-one  thousand 
eight  hundred  and  eighty-four  pounds,  was 
expended  in  the  destructive,  but  fruitless  con- 
flict, in  order  to  drive  them  from  the  moun- 
tain-passes, and  the  impenetrable  jungles, 
a country  over  which  their  ancestors  had 
swayed  the  sceptre  for  ages,  is  a decisive 
evidence  of  their  martial  spirit.  Their  coun- 
try is  bounded  by  the  ocean  on  the  south, 
and  a range  of  mountains  on  the  north,  and 
beyond  them  lie  the  Amapondo  and  Zoolu 
tribes. 

North  of  Kafir-land,  between  the  Winter- 
berg  mountains  and  the  higher  branches  of 
the  Yellow  River,  lies  the  country  inhabited 
by  the  Basutos,  a tribe  of  Bechuanas.  Since 
the  days  of  Chaka,  the  tyrant  of  the  Zoolus, 
who  oppressed  them  from  the  east,  while 
the  Bergenaars  on  the  west  were  exercising 
dreadful  barbarities,  and  reduced  most  of  the 
tribes  to  extreme  poverty;  they  have  risen 
again  in  a fertile  country,  to  comparative 
affluence. 

Beyond  the  Basutos,  to  the  north  of  the 
Orange  River,  lie  the  other  Bechuana  tribes, 
whose  numbers  and  extent  we  have  not  yet 
been  able  to  learn. 


SCENES  AND  ADVENTURES 


IN 

AFRICA. 


THE  LION  AND  GIRAFFE. 

On  our  route  homeward  we  halted  at  a 
spot  where  a novel  scene  once  occurred,  and 
which  was  described  by  an  individual  who 
witnessed  it  when  a boy.  Near  a very  small 
fountain,  which  was  shown  to  me,  stood  a 
camel  thorn-tree,  ( Jlcacia  Giraffe.)  It  was 
a stiff  tree,  about  twelve  feet  high,  with  a 
flat,  bushy  top.  Many  years  ago,  the  relater, 
then  a boy,  was  returning  to  his  village,  and 
having  turned  aside  to  the  fountain  for  a 
drink,  lay  down  on  the  bank,  and  fell  asleep. 
Being  awoke  by  the  piercing  rays  of  the  sun, 
he  saw,  through  the  bush  behind  which  he 
lay,  a giraffe  browsing  at  ease  on  the  tender 
shoots  of  the  tree,  and,  to  his  horror,  a lion, 
creeping  like  a cat,  only  a dozen  yards  from 
him,  preparing  to  pounce  on  his  prey.  The 
lion  eyed  the  giraffe  for  a few  moments,  his 
body  gave  a shake,  and  he  bounded  into  the 


26 


THE  LION  AND  GIRAFFE. 


air,  to  seize  the  head  of  the  animal,  which 
instantly  turned  his  stately  neck,  and  the 
lion,  missing  his  grasp,  fell  on  his  back  in  the 
centre  of  the  mass  of  thorns,  like  spikes,  and 
the  giraffe  bounded  over  the  plain.  The  boy 
instantly  followed  the  example,  expecting,  as 
a matter  of  course,  that  the  enraged  lion 
would  soon  find  his  way  to  the  earth.  Some 
time  afterwards,  the  people  of  the  village, 
who  seldom  visited  that  spot,  saw  the  eagles 
hovering  in  the  air;  and  as  it  is  almost 
always  a certain  sign  that  the  lion  has  killed 
game,  or  some  animal  is  lying  dead,  they 
went  to  the  place,  and  sought  in  vain  till, 
coming  under  the  lee  of  the  tree,  their  olfac- 
tory nerves  directed  them  to  where  the  lion 
lay  dead  in  his  thorny  bed.  I still  found 
some  of  his  bones  under  the  tree,  and  hair 
on  its  branches,  to  convince  me  of  what  I 
scarcely  could  have  credited. 

The  lion  will  sometimes  manage  to  mount 
the  back  of  a giraffe,  and,  fixing  his  sharp 
claws  into  each  shoulder,  gnaw  away  till  he 
reaches  the  vertebrae  of  the  neck,  when  both 
fall;  and  ofttimes  the  lion  is  lamed  for  his 
trouble.  If  the  giraffe  happens  to  be  very 
strong,  he  succeeds  in  bringing  his  rider  to 
the  ground.  Among  those  that  we  shot  on 
our  journey,  the  healed  wounds  of  the  lion’s 
claws  on  the  shoulder,  and  marks  of  his  teeth 
on  the  back  of  the  neck,  gave  us  ocular  de- 
monstration that  two  of  them  had  carried  the 
monarch  of  the  forest  on  their  backs,  and  yet 
come  off  triumphant. 


27 


THE  DESERTED  MOTHER, 

On  reaching  the  spot,  we  beheld  an  object 
of  heart-rending  distress.  It  was  a venera- 
ble looking  old  woman,  a living  skeleton, 
sitting  with  her  head  leaning  on  her  knees. 
She  appeared  terrified  at  our  presence,  and 
especially  at  me.  She  tried  to  rise,  but, 
trembling  with  weakness,  sunk  again  to  the 
earth.  I addressed  her  by  the  name  which 
sounds  sweet  in  every  clime,  and  charms 
even  the  savage  ear:  “My  mother,  fear  not ; 
we  are  friends,  and  will  do  you  no  harm.” 
I put  several  questions  to  her,  but  she  ap- 
peared either  speechless,  or  afraid  to  open 
her  lips.  I again  repeated,  “ Pray,  mother, 
who  are  you,  and  how  do  you  come  to  be  in 
this  situation?”  to  which  she  replied,  “I 
am  a woman ; I have  been  here  four  days  ; 
my  children  have  left  me  here  to  die.” 
“Your  children!”  I interrupted.  “Yes,” 
raising  her  hand  to  her  shrivelled  bosom, 
“my  own  children,  three  sons  and  two 
daughters.”  They  are  gone,”  pointing  with 
her  finger,  “ to  yonder  blue  mountain,  and 
have  left  me  to  die.”  “ And  pray  why  did 
they  leave  you?”  I inquired*  Spreading 
out  her  hands,  “ I am  old,  you  see,  and  I am 
no  longer  able  to  serve  them ; when  they  kill 
game,  I am  too  feeble  to  help  in  carrying 
home  the  flesh;  I am  not  able  to  gather 
wood  to  make  fire ; and  I cannot  carry  their 
children  on  my  back  as  I used  to  do.”  This 


28 


THE  DESERTED  MOTHER. 


last  sentence  was  more  than  I could  bear ; 
and  though  my  tongue  was  cleaving  to  the 
roof  of  my  mouth  for  want  of  water,  this 
reply  opened  a fountain  of  tears.  I re- 
marked that  I was  surprised  that  she  had 
escaped  the  lions,  which  seemed  to  abound, 
and  to  have  approached  very  near  the  spot 
where  she  was.  She  took  hold  of  the  skin 
of  her  left  arm  with  her  fingers,  and,  raising 
it  up  as  one  would  do  a loose  linen,  she  ad- 
ded, “I  hear  the  lions;  but  there  is  nothing 
on  me  that  they  would  eat ; I have  no  flesh 
on  me  for  them  to  scent.”  At  this  moment 
the  wagon  drew  near,  which  greatly  alarmed 
her,  for  she  supposed  that  it  was  an  animal. 
Assuring  her  that  it  would  do  her  no  harm, 
I said  that,  as  I could  not  stay,  I would  put 
her  into  the  wagon  and  take  her  with  me. 
At  this  remark  she  became  convulsed  with 
terror.  Others  addressed  her,  but  all  to  no 
effect.  She  replied,  that  if  we  took  her,  and 
left  her  at  another  village,  they  would  only 
do  the  same  thing  again.  “It  is  our  custom; 
I am  nearly  dead ; I do  not  want  to  die 
again.”  The  sun  was  now  piercingly  hot ; 
the  oxen  were  raging  in  the  yoke,  and  we 
ourselves  nearly  delirious.  Finding  it  im- 
possible to  influence  the  woman  to  move, 
without  running  the  risk  of  her  dying  con- 
vulsed in  our  hands,  we  collected  a quantity 
of  fuel,  gave  her  a good  supply  of  dry  meat, 
some  tobacco,  and  a knife,  with  some  other 
articles ; telling  her  we  should  return  in  two 
days,  and  stop  the  night,  when  she  would  be 


THE  DESERTED  MOTHER. 


29 


able  to  go  with  us;  only  she  must  keep  up  a 
good  fire  at  night,  as  the  lions  would  smell 
the  dried  flesh,  if  they  did  not  scent  her.  We 
then  pursued  our  course ; and  after  a long 
ride,  passing  a rocky  ridge  of  hills,  we  came 
to  a stagnant  pool,  into  which  men  and  oxen 
rushed  precipitately,  though  the  water  was 
almost  too  muddy  to  go  down  our  throats. 

On  our  return  to  the  spot,  according  to 
promise,  we  found  the  old  woman  and  every 
thing  gone,  but,  on  examination,  discovered 
the  footmarks  of  two  men,  from  the  hills  re- 
ferred to,  who  appeared  to  have  taken  her 
away.  Several  months  afterwards  I learned, 
from  an  individual  who  visited  the  station, 
that  the  sons,  seeing  from  a distance  the  wa- 
gon halt  at  the  spot,  where  they  had  so  un- 
naturally left  their  mother  to  perish,  came  to 
see,  supposing  the  travellers  had  been  view- 
ing the  mangled  remains  of  their  mother. 
Finding  her  alive,  and  supplied  with  food, 
and  on  her  telling  the  story  of  the  strangers’ 
kindness,  they  were  alarmed,  and  dreading 
the  vengeance  of  the  great  chief,  whom  they 
supposed  me  to  be,  took  her  home,  and  were 
providing  for  her  with  more  than  usual  care. 
I have  often  reasoned  with  the  natives  on 
this  cruel  practice ; in  reply  to  which  they 
would  only  laugh.  It  may  be  imagined  that 
people  might  devote  their  friends,  and  nobles 
their  first  born,  like  the  Carthaginians,  to  ap- 
pease some  offended  deity ; and  that  mothers, 
too,  should  smile  on  the  infants  their  own 
hands  had  murdered,  from  similar  motives ; 


30 


TRAITS  IN  THE  LION. 


but  it  appears  an  awful  exhibition  of  human 
depravity,  when  children  compel  their  pa- 
rents to  perish  for  want,  or  to  be  devoured 
by  beasts  of  prey  in  a desert,  from  no  other 
motive  than  sheer  laziness,  or  to  get  quit  of 
those  on  whose  breasts  they  hung  in  helpless 
infancy,  whose  lips  first  directed  their  vocal 
powers,  whose  hand  led  them  through  many 
a weary  waste,  and  who  often  suffered  the 
most  pinching  want,  that  the  babes  whom 
nature  taught  them  to  love  might  be  sup- 
plied. I have  more  than  once  handed  food 
to  a hungry  mother,  who  appeared  to  have 
fasted  for  a month,  when  she  would  just 
taste  it,  and  give  it  to  her  child,  when,  per- 
haps, that  very  child,  instead  of  returning 
grateful  services  to  the  infancy  of  old  age, 
leaves  that  mother  to  perish  from  hunger. 


SINGULAR  TRAITS  IN  THE  LION. 

Much  has  been  written  about  African 
lions,  but  the  half  has  not  been  told.  The 
following  trait  in  their  character  may  not  be 
intrusive,  or  partaking  of  the  marvellous, 
with  which  the  tales  of  some  travellers  are 
said  to  abound.  I give  it  as  received  from 
men  of  God,  and  men  who  had  been  expe- 
rienced Nimrods  too.  The  old  lion,  when  in 
company  with  his  children,  as  the  natives 
call  them,  though  they  are  nearly  as  big  as 
himself,  or  when  numbers  together  happen 


TRAITS  IN  THE  LION. 


31 


to  come  upon  game,  the  oldest  or  ablest 
creeps  to  the  object,  while  the  others  crouch 
on  the  grass ; if  he  be  successful,  which  he 
generally  is,  he  retires  from  his  victim,  and 
lies  down  to  breathe  and  rest  for  perhaps  a 
quarter  of  an  hour;  in  the  meantime  the 
others  draw  around  and  lie  down  at  a re- 
spectful distance.  When  the  chief  one  has 
got  his  rest,  he  commences  at  the  abdomen 
and  breast,  and  after  making  havoc  with 
the  titbits  of  the  carcase,  he  will  take  a se- 
cond rest,  none  of  the  others  presuming  to 
move.  Having  made  a second  gorge,  he  re- 
tires ; the  others,  watching  his  motions,  rush 
on  the  remainder,  and  it  is  soon  devoured. 
At  other  times,  if  a young  lion  seizes  the 
prey,  and  an  old  one  happens  to  come  up, 
the  younger  retires  till  the  elder  has  dined. 
This  was  what  Africaner  called  better  man- 
ners than  those  of  the  Namaquas. 

Passing  along  a vale,  we  came  to  a spot 
where  the  lion  appeared  to  have  been  exer- 
cising himself  in  the  way  of  leaping.  As 
the  natives  are  very  expert  in  tracing  the 
manoeuvres  of  animals  by  their  footmarks,  it 
was  soon  discovered  that  a large  lion  had 
crept  towards  a short  black  stump,  very  like 
the  human  form ; when  within  about  a dozen 
yards,  it  bounded  on  its  supposed  prey,  when, 
to  his  mortification,  he  fell  a foot  or  two  short 
of  it.  According  to  the  testimony  of  a native 
who  had  been  watching  his  motions,  and  who 
joined  us  soon  after,  the  lion  lay  for  some  time 
steadfastly  eyeing  its  supposed  meal.  It  then 


32 


TRAITS  IN  THE  LION. 


arose,  smelt  the  object,  and  returned  to  the 
spot  from  whence  he  commenced  his  first 
leap,  and  leaped  four  several  times,  till  at 
last  he  placed  his  paw  on  the  imagined  prize. 
On  another  occasion,  when  Africaner  and  an 
attendant  were  passing  near  the  end  of  a hill, 
from  which  jutted  out  a smooth  rock  of  ten 
or  twelve  feet  high,  he  observed  a number  of 
zebras  pressing  round  it,  obliged  to  keep  the 
path,  beyond  which  it  was  precipitous.  A 
• lion  was  seen  creeping  up  towards  the  path, 
to  intercept  the  large  stallion,  which  is  always 
in  the  rear  to  defend  or  warn  the  troop.  The 
lion  missed  his  mark,  and  while  the  zebra 
rushed  round  the  point,  the  lion  knew  well 
if  he  could  mount  the  rock  at  one  leap,  the 
next  would  be  on  the  zebra’s  back,  it  being 
obliged  to  turn  towards  the  hill.  He  fell 
short,  with  only  his  head  over  the  stone, 
looking  at  the  galloping  zebra  switching  his 
tail  in  the  air.  He  then  tried  a second  and 
a third  leap,  till  he  succeeded.  In  the  mean 
time  two  more  lions  came  up,  and  seemed  to 
talk  and  roar  away  about  something,  while 
the  old  lion  led  them  round  the  rock  and 
round  it  again ; then  he  made  another  grand 
leap,  to  show  them  what  he  and  they  must 
do  next  time.  Africaner  added,  with  the 
most  perfect  gravity,  “ They  evidently  talked 
to  each  other,  but  though  loud  enough,  I 
could  not  understand  a word  they  said,  and 
fearing  lest  we  should  be  the  next  objects  of 
their  skill,  we  crept  away  and  left  them  in 
council.” 


THE  FRIGHT. 


33 


THE  FRIGHT. 

The  following  fact  will  show  the  fearful 
dangers  to  which  solitary  travellers  are 
sometimes  exposed.  A man  belonging  to 
Mr.  SchmeleiTs  congregation,  at  Bethany, 
returning  homewards  from  a visit  to  his 
friends,  took  a circuitous  course  in  order  to 
pass  a small  fountain,  or  rather  pool,  where 
he  hoped  to  kill  an  antelope  to  carry  home 
to  his  family.  The  sun  had  risen  to  some 
height  by  the  time  he  reached  the  spot,  and 
seeing  no  game,  he  laid  his  gun  down  on  a 
shelving  low  rock,  the  back  part  of  which 
was  covered  over  with  a species  of  dwarf 
thorn-bushes.  He  went  to  the  water,  took  a 
hearty  drink,  and  returned  to  the  rock, 
smoked  his  pipe,  and  being  a little  tired,  fell 
asleep.  In  a short  time  the  heat  reflected 
from  the  rock  awoke  him,  and  opening  his 
eyes,  he  saw  a large  lion  crouching  before 
him,  with  its  eyes  glaring  in  his  face,  and 
within  little  more  than  a yard  of  his  feet.  He 
sat  motionless  for  some  minutes,  till  he  had 
recovered  his  presence  of  mind,  then  eyeing 
his  gun,  moved  his  hand  slowly  towards  it; 
the  lion  seeing  him,  raised  its  head,  and  gave 
a tremendous  roar;  he  made  another  and 
another  attempt,  but  the  gun  being  far  be- 
yond his  reach,  he  gave  it  up,  as  the  lion 
seemed  well  aware  of  his  object,  and  was 
enraged  whenever  he  attempted  to  move  his 
3 


34 


THE  FRIGHT. 


hand.  His  situation  now  became  painful  in 
the  extreme ; the  rock  on  which  he  satT>e- 
came  so  hot  that  he  could  scarcely  bear  his 
naked  feet  to  touch  it,  and  kept  moving 
them,  alternately  placing  one  above  the 
other.  The  day  passed,  and  the  night  also, 
but  the  lion  never  moved  from  the  spot ; the 
sun  rose  again,  and  its  intense  heat  soon  ren- 
dered his  feet  past  feeling.  At  noon  the  lion 
rose  and  walked  to  the  water,  only  a few 
yards  distant,  looking  behind  as  it  went,  lest 
the  man  should  move,  and  seeing  him  stretch 
out  his  hand  to  take  his  gun,  turned  in  a 
rage,  and  was  on  the  point  of  springing  upon 
him.  The  animal  went  to  the  water,  drank, 
and  returning,  lay  down  again  at  the  edge  of 
the  rock.  Another  night  passed ; the  man,  in 
describing  it,  said,  he  knew  not  whether  he 
slept,  but  if  he  did,  it  must  have  been  with 
his  eyes  open,  for  he  always  saw  the  lion  at 
his  feet.  Next  day,  in  the  forenoon,  the 
animal  went  again  to  the  water,  and  while 
there,  he  listened  to  some  noise  apparently 
from  an  opposite  quarter,  and  disappeared  in 
the  bushes.  The  man  now  made  another 
effort,  and  seized  his  gun;  but  on  attempting 
to  rise,  he  fell,  his  ankles  being  without 
power.  With  his  gun  in  his  hand,  he  crept 
towards  the  water,  and  drank,  but  looking  at 
his  feet,  he  saw,  as  he  expressed  it,  his  “ toes 
roasted,”  and  the  skin  tom  off  with  the 
grass.  There  he  sat  a few  moments,  expect- 
ing the  lion’s  return,  when  he  was  resolved 
to  send  the  contents  of  the  gun  through  its 


THIRST  IN  THE  DESERT. 


35 


head;  but  as  it  did  not  appear,  tying  his  gun 
to  his  back,  the  poor  man  made  the  best  of 
his  way  on  his  hands  and  knees,  to  the  near- 
est path,  hoping  some  solitary  individual 
might  pass.  He  could  go  no  further,  when, 
providentially,  a person  came  up,  who  took 
him  to  a place  of  safety,  from  whence  he  ob- 
tained help,  though  he  lost  his  toes,  and  was 
a cripple  for  life. 


THIRST  IN  THE  DESERT. 

Being  disappointed  in  the  object  of  our 
journey,  we  endeavoured  to  reach  home  by 
a shorter  route  further  to  the  east  on  the 
borders  of  the  southern  Zahara  desert,  which 
lies  between  Namaqua-land  and  the  country 
of  the  Bechuanas.  We  had  nearly  paid 
dear  for  our  haste,  for  we  found  ourselves  in 
a plain  of  deep  sand,  and  were  on  the  point 
of  abandoning  the  wagon.  Each  went  in 
search  of  water,  but  it  was  in  vain,  we  found 
only  water  melons,  and  those  as  bitter  as 
gall.  I shall  never  forget  the  ghastly  looks 
of  our  party — nothing  could  provoke  a smile. 
Some  had  started  off  in  the  direction  of  a 
river  called  Hi  am  Toaap,  which  signifies 
“ the  water  is  done,”  where  they  happily 
found  some,  and  (after  drinking  largely 
themselves)  filled  their  calabashes  and  re- 
turned; but  before  reaching  the  wagon,  their 
thirst  again  became  excessive,  and  by  the 


36 


THE  NARROW  ESCAPE. 


next  morning  they  had  nearly  finished  all 
they  had  reserved  for  us.  On  my  tasting 
the  water,  and  it  was  indeed  but  a taste,  for 
I wished  that  others  should  wet  their  lips, 
the  rage  for  water  seemed  to  increase,  and 
we  hastened  towards  the  river.  When  we 
reached  the  top  of  the  deep  bed  of  the  river, 
a scene  presented  itself  which,  though  twenty- 
three  years  have  elapsed,  is  as  fresh  to  my 
mind  as  though  it  occurred  but  yesterday. 
Two  of  the  men  who  had  preceded  us,  im- 
mediately seized  the  thong  of  the  two  lead- 
ing oxen,  to  prevent  them  from  precipitating 
themselves  with  the  wagons  down  the  rug- 
ged steep,  after  the  example  of  wiser  heads; 
for  all  the  people,  without  exception,  rushed 
down  the  bank,  some  kept  their  feet,  others 
rolled,  and  some  tumbled  headlong  into  the 
muddy  pool,  in  which  they  seemed  fain  to 
lie,  clothes  and  all.  It  was  well  that  the 
water  was  warmed  by  the  sun’s  scorching 
rays,  for  Africaner,  as  well  as  others,  record- 
ed several  instances  of  thirsty  travellers  drink- 
ing largely  in  their  heated  state,  and  instantly 
expiring  with  their  faces  in  the  water. 


THE  NARROW  ESCAPE. 

At  one  of  these  places  I had  slept  on  the 
ground  near  the  door  of  the  hut  in  which  the 
principal  man  and  his  wife  reposed.  I re- 
marked in  the  morning,  that  it  appeared  that 


THE  NARROW  ESCAPE. 


37 


some  of  the  cattle  had  broken  loose  during 
the  night,  as  I heard  something  moving 
about  on  the  outside  of  the  thorn  fence,  un- 
der which  I lay.  “ Oh,”  he  replied,  “ I was 
looking  at  the  spoor  this  morning,  it  was  the 
lion;”  adding,  that  a few  nights  before  it 
sprang  over  on  the  very  spot  on  which  I had 
been  lying,  and  seized  a goat,  with  which  it 
bounded  off  through  another  part  of  the  fold. 
“ Look,”  said  he,  “ there  is  a part  of  some  of 
the  mats  we  tore  from  the  house,  and  burned 
to  frighten  him  away.”  On  asking  him  how 
he  could  think  of  appointing  me  to  sleep  in 
that  very  spot;  “ Oh,”  he  rejoined,  “ the 
lion  would  not  have  the  audacity  to  jump 
over  on  you.”  This  remark  produced  a 
laugh  in  me,  in  which  he  and  his  wife  joined 
most  heartily;  and  reminded  me  of  a cir- 
cumstance in  his  own  history,  with  which  I 
was  well  acquainted;  for  he  had  been  in  the 
jaws  of  a lion.  One  night,  he,  and  about  a 
dozen  hunters,  were  fast  asleep,  with  a circle 
of  bushes  placed  around  their  fire.  When 
the  blaze  was  extinguished,  a lion  sprang 
into  the  midst  of  the  sleeping  party,  seized 
my  host  by  the  shoulder,  and  with  his  caross , 
dragged  him  off  to  some  distance.  The 
others,  aroused  by  the  scuffle,  snatched  up 
their  guns,  and,  not  knowing  one  of  their 
number  had  been  carried  off,  shot  in  the 
direction  whence  the  noise  proceeded.  One 
ball  happened  to  wound  the  lion,  and,  in 
trying  to  roar,  it  let  the  man  drop  from  its 
grasp,  who  instantly  ran  off,  leaving  his 


38 


BEASTS  OF  PREY. 


mantle,  and  bolting  among  his  companions, 
crying  out,  “Do  not  shoot  me;”  for  they 
supposed  for  a moment  that  he  was  the  lion. 
He  showed  me  the  ugly  marks  of  the  lion’s 
teeth  in  his  shoulder. 


BEASTS  OF  PREY. 

Flocks  of  Guinea  fowl  would  occasionally 
add  to  the  varied  scene,  with  their  shrill  cry, 
and  whirling  flight,  from  the  open  plain  to 
the  umbrage  of  the  sloping  bank,  where  they 
pass  the  night  amidst  the  branches  of  the  tall 
acacias.  But  here  too  the  curse  reigns ; for 
the  kites  and  hawks  might  be  seen  hovering 
in  the  air,  watching  the  motions  of  the  crea- 
tures beneath,  and  ready  to  dart  down,  with 
the  fleetness  of  an  arrow,  on  a duckling  stray- 
ing from  its  parent,  or  on  a bird  or  a hare 
moving  too  far  from  the  shelter  of  a bush  or 
tree.  The  fox  also  might  be  seen,  stealing 
slowly  along  from  the  desert  waste,  to  slake 
his  thirst  in  the  refreshing  stream,  and  seek 
for  some  unfortunate  brood  which  might  fall 
within  his  reach ; and  the  cobra  and  green 
serpent,  ascending  the  trees,  to  suck  the  eggs, 
or  to  devour  the  young  birds;  while  the 
feathered  tribe,  uniting  against  the  common 
enemy,  gather  around,  and  rend  the  air  with 
their  screams.  The  African  tiger,  too,  comes 
in  for  a share  of  the  feathered  spoil.  With 
his  sharp  claws  he  ascends  the  trees,  in  the 


BEASTS  OF  PRE1*. 


39 


dead  of  night,  and  seizes  the  Guinea  fowls 
on  their  aerial  roost.  The  hyena,  also,  here 
seeks  his  spoil,  and  gorges  some  strayed  kid, 
or  pursues  the  troop  for  the  new-fallen  ante- 
lope or  foal ; and,  to  fill  up  the  picture,  the 
lion  may  be  heard  in  the  distance,  roaring  for 
his  prey;  while  man, 

“ The  great  enemy  to  man,” 

is  no  less  so  to  fish  or  fowl,  or  spotted  deer. 
Wherever  he  wanders  he  seeks  to  regale  his 
varied  appetite ; and  more  than  this,  he,  as 
the  enemy  of  enemies,  fears  not  to  attack  the 
ponderous  elephant,  face  the  lion’s  glare,  and 
for  his  amusement  lay  prostrate  in  the  dust 
the  innocent. 

Reclining  on  a rock  one  day,  waiting  till 
my  shirt,  which  I had  washed,  was  dry,  I 
noticed  a crow  rise  from  the  earth,  carrying 
something  dangling  in  its  talons.  On  direct- 
ing my  companions  to  the  sight,  they  said, 
“ it  is  only  a crow  with  a tortoise ; you  will 
see  it  fall  presently;”  and  down  it  fell.  The 
crow  descended,  and  up  went  the  tortoise 
again  to  a still  greater  height,  from  which  it 
dropped,  and  the  crow  instantly  followed.  I 
hastened  with  one  of  the  men  to  the  spot,  and 
scared  away  the  crow  from  the  mangled  tor- 
toise, on  which  it  was  enjoying  a feast.  On 
looking  around  the  flat  rock,  there  were  many 
wrecks  of  former  years ; and  on  my  remark- 
ing I did  not  think  that  the  crow  was  so  cun- 
ning, my  companion  replied,  “ The  kites  do 
the  same  thing;”  which  I have  since  fre- 
quently observed. 


40 


THE  POISONED  POOL. 

On  one  occasion  I was  remarkably  pre- 
served, when  all  expected  that  my  race  was 
run.  We  had  reached  the  river  early  in  the 
afternoon,  after  a dreadfully  scorching  ride 
across  a plain.  Three  of  my  companions, 
who  were  in  advance,  rode  forward  to  a 
Bushman  village,  on  an  ascent  some  hundred 
yards  from  the  river.  I went,  because  my 
horse  would  go,  towards  a little  pool  on  a 
dry  branch,  from  which  the  flood  or  torrent 
had  receded  to  the  larger  course.  Dismount- 
ing, I pushed  through  a narrow  opening  in 
the  bushes,  and  lying  down  took  a hearty 
draught.  Immediately  on  rising  I felt  an 
unusual  taste  in  my  mouth,  and  looking  at- 
tentively at  the  water,  and  the  temporary 
fence  around  it,  it  flashed  across  my  mind 
that  the  water  was  poisoned  for  the  purpose 
of  killing  game.  I came  out,  and  meeting 
one  of  our  number,  who  had  been  a little 
in  the  rear,  just  entering,  told  him  my  sus- 
picion. 

At  that  moment  a Bushman  from  the  vil- 
lage came  running  breathless,  and  apparent- 
ly terrified,  took  me  by  the  hand,  as  if  to 
prevent  my  going  to  the  water,  talking  with 
great  excitement,  though  neither  I nor  my 
companions  could  understand  him ; but  when 
I made  signs  that  I had  drunk,  he  was  speech- 
less for  a minute  or  two,  and  then  ran  off  to  the 
village.  I followed;  and  on  again  dismount- 


HEAT  AND  THIRST. 


41 


ing,  as  I was  beginning  to  think  for  the  last 
time,  the  poor  Bushmen  and  women  looked 
on  me  with  eyes  which  bespoke  heartfelt 
compassion.  My  companions  expected  me 
to  fall  down  every  moment ; not  one  spoke. 
Observing  the  downcast  looks  of  the  poor 
Bushmen,  I smiled,  and  this  seemed  to  ope- 
rate on  them  like  an  electric  shock,  for  all 
began  to  babble  and  sing ; the  women  strik- 
ing their  elbows  against  their  naked  sides, 
expressive  of  their  joy.  However,  I began 
to  feel  a violent  turmoil  within,  and  a fulness 
of  the  system,  as  if  the  arteries  would  burst, 
while  the  pulsation  was  exceedingly  quick, 
being  accompanied  with  a slight  giddiness  in 
the  head.  We  made  the  natives  understand 
that  I wanted  the  fruit  of  the  solanum,  which 
grows  in  those  quarters  nearly  the  size  and 
shape  of  an  egg,  and  which  acts  as  an  emetic. 
They  ran  in  all  directions,  but  sought  in  vain. 
By  this  time  I was  covered  with  a profuse 
perspiration,  and  drank  largely  of  pure  water. 
The  strange  and  painful  sensation  which 
I had  experienced  gradually  wore  away, 
though  it  was  not  entirely  removed  for  some 
days. 


HEAT  AND  THIRST. 

We  continued  our  slow  and  silent  march 
for  hours.  The  tongue  cleaving  to  the  roof 
of  the  mouth  from  thirst,  made  conversation 
extremely  difficult.  At  last  we  reached  the 
4 


42 


HEAT  AND  THIRST. 


long-wished  for  “ waterfall,”  so  named,  be- 
cause when  it  rains,  water  sometimes  falls, 
though  in  small  quantities;  but  it  was  too 
late  to  ascend  the  hill.  We  allowed  our  poor 
worn-out  horses  to  go  where  they  pleased, 
and  having  kindled  a small  fire,  and  pro- 
duced a little  saliva  by  smoking  a pipe,  we 
talked  about  our  lost  companions,  who  hap- 
pened for  their  comfort  to  have  the  morsel  of 
meat,  and  who,  as  Jantye  thought,  would 
wander  from  the  position  in  which  we  left 
them  towards  the  river.  We  bowed  the 
knee  to  Him  who  had  mercifully  preserved 
us,  and  laid  our  heads  on  our  saddles.  The 
last  sound  we  heard  to  soothe  us,  was  the 
distant  roar  of  the  lion,  but  we  were  too 
much  exhausted  to  feel  any  thing  like  fear. 
Sleep  came  to  our  relief,  and  it  seemed  made 
up  of  scenes  the  most  lovely,  forming  a glow- 
ing contrast  to  our  real  situation.  I felt  as  if 
engaged  during  my  short  repose,  in  roving 
among  ambrosial  bowers  of  paradisaical  de- 
light, hearing  sounds  of  music,  as  if  from  an- 
gels’ harps;  it  was  the  night  wind  falling  on 
my  ears  from  the  neighbouring  hill.  I seemed 
to  pass  from  stream  to  stream,  in  which  I 
bathed  and  slaked  my  thirst  at  many  a crys- 
tal fount,  flowing  from  golden  mountains 
enriched  with  living  green.  These  Elysian 
pleasures  continued  till  morning  dawn,  when 
we  awoke,  speechless  with  thirst,  our  eyes 
inflamed,  and  our  whole  frames  burning  like 
a coal.  We  were,  however,  somewhat  less 
fatigued,  but  wanted  water,  and  had  re- 


HEAT  AND  THIRST. 


43 


course  to  another  pipe  before  we  could  arti- 
culate a word. 

My  companion  then  directed  me  to  a pro- 
jecting rock,  near  the  top  of  the  hill,  where, 
if  there  was  water  at  all,  it  would  be  found. 
I took  up  the  gun  to  proceed  in  that  direc- 
tion, while  he  went  in  search  of  the  horses, 
which  we  feared  might  have  been  devoured 
by  the  lion.  I ascended  the  rugged  height  to 
the  spot  where  water  once  was,  but  found  it 
as  dry  as  the  sandy  plain  beneath.  I stood 
a few  minutes,  stretching  my  languid  eye  to 
see  if  there  were  any  appearance  of  the 
horses,  but  saw  nothing;  turning  to  descend, 
I happened  to  cough,  and  was  instantly  sur- 
rounded by  almost  a hundred  baboons,  some 
of  gigantic  size.  They  grunted,  grinned,  and 
sprang  from  stone  to  stone,  protruding  their 
mouths,  and  drawing  back  the  skin  of  their 
foreheads,  threatening  an  instant  attack.  I 
kept  parrying  them  with  my  gun,  which  was 
loaded;  but  knew  their  character  and  dispo- 
sition too  well  to  fire,  for  if  I had  wounded 
one  of  them,  I should  have  been  skinned  in 
five  minutes.  The  ascent  was  very  laborious, 
but  I would  have  given  any  thing  to  be  at 
the  bottom  of  the  hill  again.  Some  came  so 
near  as  even  to  touch  my  hat  while  passing 
projecting  rocks.  It  was  some  time  before  I 
reached  the  plain,  when  they  appeared  to 
hold  a noisy  council,  either  about  what  they 
had  done,  or  intended  doing.  Levelling  my 
piece  at  two  that  seemed  the  most  fierce,  as  I 
was  about  to  touch  the  trigger,  the  thought 


44 


HEAT  AND  THIRST. 


occurred,  I have  escaped,  let  me  be  thankful ; 
therefore  I left  them  uninjured,  perhaps  with 
the  gratification  of  having  given  me  a fright. 

Jantye  soon  appeared  with  the  horses. 
My  looks,  more  expressive  than  words,  con- 
vincing him  there  was  no  water,  we  saddled 
the  poor  animals,  which,  though  they  had 
picked  up  a little  grass,  looked  miserable  be- 
yond description.  We  now  directed  our 
course  towards  Witte  Water,  where  we  could 
scarcely  hope  to  arrive  before  afternoon,  even 
if  we  reached  it  at  all,  for  we  were  soon 
obliged  to  dismount,  and  drive  our  horses 
slowly  and  silently  over  the  glowing  plain, 
where  the  delusive  mirage  tantalized  our 
feelings  with  exhibitions  of  the  loveliest  pic- 
tures, of  lakes  and  pools  studded  with  lovely 
islets,  and  towering  trees  moving  in  the 
breeze  on  their  banks.  In  some  might  be 
seen  the  bustle  of  a mercantile  harbour,  with 
jetties,  coves,  and  moving  rafts  and  oars ; in 
others,  lakes  so  lovely,  as  if  they  had  just 
come  from  the  hand  of  the  Divine  artist,  a 
transcript  of  Eden’s  sweetest  views,  but  all 
the  result  of  highly  rarefied  air,  or  the  re- 
flected heat  of  the  sun’s  rays  on  the  sultry 
plain.  Sometimes,  when  the  horses  and  my 
companion  were  some  hundred  yards  in  ad- 
vance, they  appeared  as  if  lifted  from  the 
earth,  or  moving  like  dark  living  pillars  in 
the  air.  Many  a time  did  we  seek  old  ant 
hills,  excavated  by  the  ant-eater,  into  which 
to  thrust  our  heads,  in  order  to  have  some- 
thing solid  between  our  fevered  brains  and 


HEAT  AND  THIRST. 


45 


the  piercing  rays  of  the  sun.  There  was  no 
shadow  of  a great  rock ; the  shrubs  sapless, 
barren,  and  blighted,  as  if  by  some  blast  of 
fire.  Nothing  animate  was  to  be  seen  or 
heard,  except  the  shrill  chirping  of  a beetle 
resembling  the  cricket,  the  noise  of  which 
seemed  to  increase  with  the  intensity  of  the 
heat.  Not  a cloud  had  been  seen  since  we 
left  our  homes. 

We  felt  an  irresistible  inclination  to  remain 
at  any  bush  which  could  afford  the  least 
shelter  from  the  noonday’s  sun,  the  crown  of 
the  head  having  the  sensation  as  if  covered 
with  live  coal,  and  the  mind  wandering. 
My  companion  became  rather  wild.  Hav- 
ing been  anxious  to  spare  him  all  the  toil 
possible,  I had  for  a long  time  carried  the 
gun ; he  asked  for  it,  apparently  to  relieve 
me,  but  his  motions  were  such  that  I was 
glad  to  recover  possession  of  it. 

My  difficulties  and  anxieties  were  now 
becoming  painful  in  the  extreme,  not  know- 
ing any  thing  of  the  road,  which  was  in  some 
places  hardly  discernible,  and  in  my  faithful 
guide  hope  had  died  away.  The  horses 
moved  at  the  slowest  pace,  and  that  only 
when  driven,  which  effort  was  laborious  in 
the  extreme.  Speech  was  gone,  and  every 
thing  expressed  by  signs,  except  when  we 
had  recourse  to  a pipe,  and  for  which  we 
now  began  to  lose  our  relish.  After  sitting 
a long  while  under  a bush,  oh!  what  a relief 
I felt  when  my  guide  pointed  to  a distant 
hill,  near  to  which  water  lay.  Courage  re- 


46 


HEAT  AND  THIRST. 


vived,  but  it  was  with  pain  and  labour  that 
we  reached  it  late  in  the  afternoon.  Having 
still  sufficient  judgment  not  to  go  at  once  to 
drink,  it  was  with  great  difficulty  I prevented 
my  companion  doing  that,  which  would 
almost  instantly  have  proved  fatal  to  him. 
Our  horses  went  to  the  pool,  and  consumed 
nearly  all  the  water,  for  it  appeared  that 
some  wild  horses  had  shortly  before  slaked 
their  thirst  at  this  spot,  leaving  for  us  but 
little,  and  that  polluted. 

Becoming  cooler  after  a little  rest,  we 
drank,  and  though  moving  with  animalcules, 
muddy,  and  nauseous  with  filth,  it  was  to  us 
a reviving  draught.  We  rested  and  drank, 
till  the  sun  sinking  in  the  west,  compelled  us 
to  go  forward,  in  order  to  reach  Griqua 
Town  that  night.  Though  we  had  filled 
our  stomachs  with  water,  if  such  it  might  be 
called,  for  it  was  grossly  impure,  thirst  soon 
returned  with  increased  agony;  and  painful 
was  the  ride  and  walk,  for  they  were  alter- 
nate, until  we  reached  at  a late  hour  the 
abode  of  Mr.  Anderson. 

Entering  the  door  speechless,  haggard, 
emaciated,  and  covered  with  perspiration  and 
dust,  I soon  procured  by  signs,  that  universal 
language,  for  myself  and  my  companion  a 
draught  of  water.  Mr.  A.,  expecting  such  a 
visitor  from  the  moon,  as  soon  as  from  Na- 
maqua-land,  was  not  a little  surprised  to 
find  who  it  was.  Kind-hearted  Mrs.  A.  in- 
stantly prepared  a cup  of  coffee  and  some 
food,  which  I had  not  tasted  for  three  days; 


THE  STORM. 


47 


and  I felt  all  the  powers  of  soul  revive,  as  if 
I had  talked  with  angels — it  was  to  me  a 
“ feast  of  reason  and  a flow  of  soul.” 

Retiring  to  rest,  the  couch,  though  hard, 
appeared  to  me  a downy  bed ; I begged  Mr. 
A.  just  to  place  within  my  reach  half  a bucket 
of  water ; this  he  kindly  and  prudently  re- 
fused, but  left  me  with  a full  tumbler  of  unu- 
sual size ; such,  however,  was  my  fevered 
condition,  that  no  sooner  was  he  gone  than 
I drank  the  whole.  After  reviewing  the 
past,  and  looking  upward  with  adoring  gra- 
titude, I fell  asleep,  and  arose  in  the  morning 
as  fresh  as  if  I had  never  seen  a desert,  nor 
felt  its  thirst.  We  remained  here  a few  days, 
in  the  course  of  which  our  lost  companions 
arrived,  having,  as  we  rightly  supposed,  wan- 
dered towards  the  river,  and  escaped  the  thirst 
which  had  nearly  terminated  our  career  in 
the  desert. 


THE  STORM. 

In  the  afternoon,  when  bidding  farewell  to 
the  dear  brethren,  with  whom  I could  have 
wished  to  pass  a month,  Mr.  A.  remarked 
that  the  weather  to  the  westward  looked  like 
a storm ; but  as  these  appearances  often  pass 
over  without  a drop  of  rain,  we  set  off*,  and 
trusting  to  the  strength  of  our  recruited 
horses,  we  hoped  to  pass  through  the  desert 
to  the  Orange  river  without  much  suffering. 
Mrs.  A.  had  provided  us  with  some  biscuit, 


48 


THE  STORM. 


which  one  of  the  men  placed  in  a sack  also 
containing  tobacco.  We  intended  to  sleep  at 
Witte  Water  that  night,  but  long  before  we 
reached  that  place,  we  were  overtaken  by  an 
awful  storm  of  thunder.  The  peals  were 
deafening,  and  our  horses  frequently  started 
from  each  other  at  the  vivid  glare  of  the 
lightning.  It  poured  torrents,  so  that  by  the 
time  we  reached  the  spot  where  we  intended 
to  halt  we  were  drenched  to  the  skin.  We 
let  our  horses  go,  and  sat  down  Jike  half- 
drowned  fowls,  at  a bush  which  could  afford 
us  no  shelter  either  from  wind  or  rain.  After 
the  vehemence  of  the  storm  had  abated,  we 
began  to  think  what  must  be  done,  for,  by 
the  falling  hail  and  piercing  wind,  we  trem- 
bled as  if  we  should  die  with  cold.  After 
much  patient  search,  we  found  a very  few 
substances  capable  of  ignition,  and  struck  a 
light  in  the  only  box  where  the  tinder  was 
dry,  but  in  vain  we  looked  for  fuel  to  supply 
our  fire.  We  threw  most  of  our  clothes  off, 
for  the  suffering  with  them  on  was  unbear- 
able, and  leaving  one  to  blow  the  fire,  we 
sallied  forth  in  quest  of  materials  to  burn. 
At  some  distance  we  succeeded  in  gathering 
a few  small  branches,  when  we  found  at 
least  four  hyenas  looking  on  in  a most  daring 
manner,  and  resolved  to  attack  us.  Such  as 
had  both  hands  occupied,  soon  relieved  one, 
and  with  stones  scared  them  a little.  But, 
alas ! the  light  of  the  little  fire  we  had  left 
had  disappeared,  and  we  knew  not  the  di- 
rection from  which  we  had  come.  We 


THE  STORM. 


49 


shouted  to  the  man  who  had  remained  with 
it,  but  no  answer,  save  the  ugly  howl  of  the 
hyenas.  Now  we  were  completely  bewil- 
dered, every  one  pointing  in  a different  di- 
rection, as  that  in  which  we  had  come.  A 
second  storm  pelted  us  most  unmercifully, 
and  the  wind  seemed  to  penetrate  through 
and  through  our  almost  naked  frames.  After 
a long  search,  we  found  the  little  bush,  the 
man  asleep,  and  the  fire  out.  We  threw 
down  our  crow-nests  which  we  had  gathered 
for  fuel,  resolving  to  brave  it  out ; but  the 
prospect  was  horrible,  of  shivering  till  the 
next  day’s  sun  should  warm  us.  Each  lay 
down  in  a lump,  on  a goat  skin,  which  had 
served  as  a saddle  cloth.  Two  of  us  tried  to 
get  down  to  dry  earth,  for  though  there  had 
been  a stream  on  the  ground,  it  was  scarcely 
six  inches  deep.  Beyond  our  expectation, 
we  fell  asleep,  and  as  I lay  rather  lower  than 
some  of  my  comrades,  the  rain  and  sand  bu- 
ried nearly  the  half  of  my  body.  It  would 
be  vain  attempting  to  describe  my  feelings 
on  awaking  at  daybreak,  stiff1,  cold  and  dizzy, 
my  hair  clotted  with  mud.  We  crawled  off 
to  the  pool  of  rain  water,  and  though  very 
thick,  we  enjoyed  a thorough  ablution.  Af- 
ter wringing  the  water  out  of  our  clothes,  we 
put  them  on  as  they  were,  being  obliged  to 
proceed.  Before  starting,  we  resolved  to 
have  a delightful  taste  of  our  biscuit,  but, 
alas ! when  the  contents  of  our  bag  were 
turned  out,  we  found  that  the  rain  having 
saturated  the  tobacco  and  biscuit,  the  latter 


50 


THE  WILD  DOG. 


was  reduced  to  a dark  brown  paste.  Smo- 
kers as  we  were,  this  dish  was  too  unpalata- 
ble for  us,  and  a good  draught  of  muddy 
water  had  to  supply  the  deficiency. 


THE  WILD  DOG. 

As  the  sun  arose  towards  the  meridian,  the 
heat  became  excessive;  and  if  we  had  been 
nearly  frozen  at  night,  we  were  almost 
scorched  during  the  day;  and  before  we 
reached  water  the  following  night,  we  would 
have  given  a crown  for  a bottle  of  that  in 
which  we  had  washed  in  the  morning.  Our 
return  was  little  different  from  our  outward 
journey,  “ in  fastings  oft.”  A kind  Provi- 
dence watched  over  us,  and  in  some  cases 
remarkably  interposed  in  our  behalf,  which 
the  following  incident  will  show.  We  had 
passed  the  night  without  food;  and  after  a 
long  day’s  ride,  the  sun  was  descending  on 
us,  with  little  prospect  of  meeting  with  any 
thing  to  assuage  the  pains  of  hunger,  when, 
as  we  were  descending  from  the  high  ground, 
weak  and  weary,  we  saw,  at  a great  distance, 
on  the  opposite  ridge,  a line  of  dust  approach- 
ing, with  the  fleetness  of  the  ostrich.  It  proved 
to  be  a spring-buck,  closely  pursued  by  a wild 
dog,  which  must  have  brought  it  many  miles, 
for  it  was  seized  within  two  hundred  yards 
of  the  spot  where  we  stood,  and  instantly 
dispatched.  We,  of  course,  thankfully  took 


THE  SEA  COW. 


51 


possession  of  his  prize,  the  right  to  which  the 
wild  dog  seemed  much  inclined  to  dispute 
with  us.  I proposed  to  leave  half  of  it  for  the 
pursuer.  “ No,”  said  one  of  my  men,  “ he  is 
not  so  hungry  as  we  are,  or  he  would  not  run 
so  fast.” 


THE  SEA  COW. 

The  night  before  reaching  home  we  had 
rather  a narrow  escape  from  a sea-cow  (hip- 
popotamus.) We  were  obliged  to  cross  the 
river,  which  could  only  be  effected  by  passing 
over  two  low  islands,  nearly  covered  with 
reeds  and  jungle. 

They  were  a great  distance  from  each 
other,  and  it  was  now  nearly  dark.  We  had 
just  reached  the  first,  when  a sea-cow  came 
furiously  up  the  stream,  snorting  so  loud  as 
to  be  echoed  back  from  the  dark  overhang- 
ing precipices.  Younker  Africaner  shouted 
out  to  me  to  escape,  and,  springing  from  his 
horse,  which  appeared  petrified,  he  seized  a 
large  stone,  and  hurled  it  at  the  monster  of 
the  deep,  for  our  guns  were  both  out  of  order. 
The  enraged  animal  then  made  for  the  next 
ford,  through  which  two  of  us  were  forcing 
our  horses,  up  to  the  saddle  in  a rapid  torrent. 
A moment’s  delay  on  our  part  would  have 
been  fatal  to  one  or  both  of  us.  The  other 
three  men  remained  till  the  infuriated  animal 
had  got  again  into  the  rear,  when  they  also 


52 


THE  ASSAULT  AND  MURDER. 


escaped  to  the  second  island,  where  expecting 
another  encounter,  we  made  the  best  of  our 
way  to  the  mainland,  effectually  drenched 
with  perspiration  and  water.  We  soon  after 
reached  a village  of  our  own  people;  and  it 
was  with  the  liveliest  gratitude  to  our  heav- 
enly Father  that  we  reviewed  the  mercies  of 
the  day.  These  animals,  in  their  undisturbed 
lakes  and  pools,  are  generally  timid,  and  will 
flee  at  the  approach  of  man;  but  when  they 
have  been  hunted  and  wounded,  from  year 
to  year,  they  become  very  dangerous,  as  the 
following  fact  will  prove.  A native,  with 
his  boy,  went  to  the  river  to  hunt  sea-cows. 
Seeing  one  at  a short  distance  below  the 
island,  the  man  passed  through  a narrow 
stream,  to  get  nearer  the  object  of  his  pursuit. 
He  fired,  but  missed;  and  the  animal  in- 
stantly made  for  the  island;  and  the  man, 
seeing  his  danger,  ran  to  cross  the  bank  of 
the  river ; but,  before  reaching  it,  the  sea- 
cow  seized  him,  and  literally  severed  his 
body  in  two  with  its  monstrous  jaws. 


THE  ASSAULT  AM)  MURDER. 

While  Edwards  and  Kok  were  in  that 
country,  two  additional  labourers  were  sent 
out  by  the  Dutch  Missionary  Society;  but 
from  the  hopeless  prospect  of  usefulness, 
under  the  existing  state  of  things,  they  aban- 
doned that  field  of  labour,  and  returned  to 


THE  ASSAULT  AND  MURDER.  53 

the  Colony.  The  residence  of  Kok  and  Ed- 
wards among  such  a people,  without  being 
thoroughly  identified  with  them,  was  neces- 
sarily attended  with  risk,  and  demanded  no 
common  share  of  personal  courage.  Travel- 
ling also  was  dangerous,  from  the  Bushmen, 
who  had  kept  up  a constant  predatory  war- 
fare with  the  Bechuanas  from  time  imme- 
morial, and  upon  whom  they  wreaked  their 
vengeance  whenever  an  occasion  offered. 
Kok  and  his  attendants  took  no  part  in  these 
outrages,  but  this  did  not  exempt  them  from 
the  inveterate  hostility  of  the  Bushmen, — an 
hostility  exercised  against  all  who  possessed 
herds  or  flocks,  as  the  following  heart-rending 
catastrophe  will  prove.  Kok  was  accom- 
panied by  two  brothers,  Griquas,  of  the  name 
of  Bergover,  who  afforded  him  not  only 
society  but  assistance.  When  Kok  visited 
Cape  Town,  these  two  remained  behind,  but 
for  some  reasons  thought  proper  soon  after 
to  follow  him  with  sixty  head  of  cattle,  and 
a quantity  of  elephant’s  teeth,  which  they 
had  obtained  by  barter.  On  the  third  day 
after  leaving  the  Kuruman,  they  were  joined 
by  a few  Bushmen,  who  received  from  them 
the  offals  of  game  which  had  been  killed. 
The  oxen,  however,  they  possessed,  excited 
their  cupidity,  and  tempted  the  Bushmen  to 
lay  plans  for  their  seizure.  The  Bergover 
party  consisted  of  two  men  able  to  bear 
arms,  their  mother,  their  wives,  and  fourteen 
children.  The  Griquas  soon  had  reason  to 
suspect  the  designs  of  their  visitors,  by  little 


54 


THE  ASSAULT  AND  MURDER. 


provocations  which  their  prudence  had  hith- 
erto overruled.  One  morning,  when  the 
two  brothers  were  working  at  a little  dis- 
tance from  each  other,  and  while  one  was 
stooping,  in  the  act  of  repairing  the  wagon 
pole,  a Bushman  thrust  him  through  with  his 
spear.  His  daughter,  eight  years  of  age, 
seeing  her  father  fall,  uttered  a shriek,  when 
she,  too,  was  transfixed  with  a spear  by 
another.  The  other  Griqua,  hearing  the 
alarm,  and  beholding  his  brother  prostrate  in 
his  blood,  rushed  furiously  on  the  eight 
Bushmen,  who  fled.  He  hurled  a small 
hatchet,  which  he  had  in  his  hand,  at  the 
murderers,  then  seizing  his  gun,  fired,  and 
wounded  one  in  the  shoulder,  but  all  escaped, 
leaving  their  bows  and  arrows  behind  them. 
Distracting  beyond  measure  must  have  been 
the  situation  of  the  sufferers,  with  only  one 
individual  to  defend  them,  for  days,  while 
passing  through  the  country  of  those  who 
were  sure  to  renew  the  attack  with  increasing 
numbers.  They  removed  from  their  frail 
wagon  the  ivory,  which  they  concealed  in 
the  ground.  They  placed  in  the  wagon  the 
corpses  of  their  slaughtered  relatives,  with  a 
view  to  their  being  interred  during  the  night, 
to  prevent  their  being  treated  with  that  in- 
dignity which  the  Bushmen  often  offer  to  the 
bodies  of  the  slain.  The  next  morning  they 
continued  their  flight,  with  hearts  beating  at 
the  sight  of  every  distant  object  which  ap- 
peared like  a human  being;  for  Bushmen 
were  descried  on  the  heights,  watching  the 


THE  ASSAULT  AND  MURDER. 


55 


progress  of  the  weeping  and  terrified  band. 
Another  night  passed  on  the  plain,  a sleep- 
less night,  except  to  the  infants  unconscious 
of  their  danger.  Next  day,  passing  a thicket 
of  acacias,  a shower  of  poisoned  arrows  fell 
around  them,  like  hail-stones,  some  of  which 
slightly  wounded  several  of  the  children. 
Bergover  fired  his  gun,  and  they  fled,  but  the 
attack  was  resumed.  Thus  he  continued, 
with  the  assistance  of  his  boy,  urging  on  his 
oxen ; and  though  several  of  them  fell  under 
the  poisoned  arrows,  they  were  quickly  re- 
placed by  others.  In  the  act  of  unyoking 
them,  he  and  his  son  were  both  wounded, 
himself  severely;  nevertheless,  the  father 
continued  to  defend  his  children  and  herds. 
The  gloomy  night  again  set  in,  with  the 
prospect  of  all  being  butchered.  The  morn- 
ing dawned  on  them,  and  witnessed  the 
closing  scene  of  a catastrophe,  at  which  even 
those  inured  to  savage  life  must  shudder. 
Greater  numbers  of  Bushmen  appeared,  as- 
sailing the  wagon  on  all  sides;  and  the  mo- 
ment the  father  fired  his  gun,  all  directed 
their  arrows  at  the  only  individual  capable 
of  resistance,  and  to  whom  the  agonized 
mothers  and  children  could  look  for  help. 
They  looked  in  vain;  severely  wounded,  he 
staggered  to  the  wagon,  while  the  Bushmen 
seized  the  oxen,  and  drove  them  off,  with 
the  shout  of  victory.  The  wounds  were 
fatal,  recollection  failed,  the  words  died  away 
on  the  weeping  widow’s  ear,  and  in  the 
course  of  an  hour  Bergover  ceased  to  breathe. 


56 


THE  ASSAULT  AND  MURDER. 


Here  they  were,  far  from  human  aid ; three 
women  and  thirteen  helpless  children,  their 
only  friend  and  defender  being  a ghastly 
corpse.  The  axle-tree  of  their  wagon  was 
broken,  and  Bushmen  were  still  hovering 
around,  eager  to  dispatch  their  victims,  and 
seize  the  remaining  draught-oxen  which  still 
stood  in  the  yoke.  Three  days  and  nights  of 
anguish  had  now  passed,  without  either  food 
or  rest.  This  was  a period  of  terror  and 
despair;  weeping  mothers  encompassed  by 
wounded,  distracted,  and  fatherless  children, 
could  only  lift  up  their  voices  to  God  in 
prayer;  and  at  that  moment,  deliverance  the 
most  unexpected  was  approaching.  The 
melting  scene  which  followed,  cannot  be  bet- 
ter described  than  in  the  language  of  an  eye- 
witness, Dr.  Lichtenstein,  whose  description 
accords  exactly  with  that  which  I received 
from  the  lips  of  one  of  the  surviving  widows. 

“The  traveller  having  been  joined  by  Kok, 
on  his  way  to  the  Kuruman,  and  seeing  the 
tilt  of  a wagon  at  a distance,  writes,  4 We 
hastened  up  to  the  wagon,  and  reached  it 
before  we  were  observed  by  any  of  the 
party;  at  the  moment  we  came  up,  one  of 
the  women  seeing  us,  uttered  a loud  and 
piercing  shriek,  and  falling  prostrate  on  the 
earth  before  Kok,  embraced  his  knees  in  a 
tumult  of  agony.  In  an  instant  after,  the 
children  ran  towards  us,  crying,  sobbing,  and 
lamenting,  in  the  most  piteous  manner,  so 
that  it  was  some  time  before  my  worthy 
companion,  down  whose  cheeks  tears  were 


STRATAGEM  FOR  TAKING  GAME.  57 

streaming,  had  power  to  ask  the  unfortunate 
woman  where  her  husband  was.  For  a 
while,  renewed  sobs  were  the  only  answer 
he  could  obtain.  We  looked  up,  and  saw,  a 
few  paces  from  us,  a boy  about  twelve  years 
of  age,  making  a grave  with  an  old  iron  axe, 
and  near  him,  lying  on  the  ground,  the  body 
of  his  father,  wrapped  in  a mat.  ‘ The  Bush- 
men have  murdered  him/  exclaimed  the 
unfortunate  lad,  and  letting  his  axe  drop,  he 
broke  out  into  the  most  bitter  cries  and 
lamentations/  ” 


STRATAGEM  FOR  TAKING  GAME. 

The  plate  exhibits  a stratagem,  by  which 
the  Bushman  approaches  to  game,  in  the 
garb  of  the  ostrich.  The  method  is  inge- 
nious, though  extremely  simple.  A kind  of 
flat  double  cushion  is  stuffed  with  straw,  and 
formed  something  like  a saddle.  All,  except 
the  under  part  of  this,  is  covered  over  with 
feathers,  attached  to  small  pegs  and  made  so 
as  to  resemble  the  bird.  The  neck  and  head 
of  an  ostrich  are  stuffed,  and  a small  rod  in- 
troduced. The  Bushman  intending  to  attack 
game,  whitens  his  legs  with  any  substance  he 
can  procure.  He  places  the  feathered  saddle 
on  his  shoulders,  takes  the  bottom  part  of  the 
neck  in  his  right  hand,  and  his  bow  and  poi- 
soned arrows  in  his  left.  Such  as  the  writer 
has  seen  were  the  most  perfect  mimics  of  the 
5 


58 


BURIAL  OF  THE  DEAD. 


ostrich,  and  at  a few  hundred  yards  distant 
it  is  not  possible  for  the  human  eye  to  detect 
the  fraud.  This  human  bird  appears  to  pick 
away  at  the  verdure,  turning  the  head  as  if 
keeping  a sharp  lookout,  shakes  his  feathers, 
now  walks,  and  then  trots,  until  he  gets 
within  bow-shot;  and  when  the  flock  runs 
from  one  receiving  an  arrow,  he  runs  too. 
The  male  ostriches  will  on  some  occasions 
give  chase  to  the  strange  bird,  when  he  tries 
to  elude  them,  in  a way  to  prevent  their 
catching  his  scent;  for  when  once  they  do, 
the  spell  is  broken.  Should  one  happen  to 
get  too  near  in  pursuit,  he  has  only  to  run  to 
windward,  or  throw  off  his  saddle,  to  avoid 
a stroke  from  a wing,  which  would  lay  him 
prostrate. 


BURIAL  OF  THE  DEAD. 

The  following  is  a brief  sketch  of  the  cere- 
mony of  interment,  and  the  custom  which 
prevails  among  these  tribes  in  reference  to 
the  dying.  When  they  see  any  indications 
of  approaching  dissolution,  in  fainting  fits  or 
convulsive  throes,  they  throw  a net  over  the 
body,  and  hold  it  in  a sitting  posture,  with 
the  knees  brought  in  contact  with  the  chin, 
till  life  is  gone.  The  grave,  which  is  fre- 
quently made  in  the  fence  surrounding  the 
cattle  fold,  or  in  the  fold  itself,  if  for  a man, 
is  about  three  feet  in  diameter  and  six  feet 


BURIAL  OF  THE  DEAD. 


59 


deep.  The  body  is  not  conveyed  through 
the  door  of  the  fore-yard  or  court  connected 
with  each  house,  but  an  opening  is  made  in 
the  fence  for  that  purpose.  It  is  carried  to 
the  grave,  having  the  head  covered  with  a 
skin,  and  is  placed  in  a sitting  posture. 
Much  time  is  spent  in  order  to  fix  the  corpse 
exactly  facing  the  north:  and  though  they 
have  no  compass,  they  manage,  after  some 
consultation,  to  place  it  very  nearly  in  the 
required  position.  Portions  of  an  ant-hill 
are  placed  about  the  feet,  when  the  net 
which  held  the  body  is  gradually  with- 
drawn ; as  the  grave  is  filled  up,  the  earth  is 
handed  in  with  bowls,  while  two  men  stand 
in  the  hole  to  tread  it  down  round  the  body, 
great  care  being  taken  to  pick  out  every 
thing  like  a root  or  pebble.  When  the  earth 
reaches  the  height  of  the  mouth,  a small  twig 
or  branch  of  an  acacia  is  thrown  in,  and  on 
the  top  of  the  head  a few  roots  of  grass  are 
placed;  and  when  the  grave  is  nearly  filled, 
another  root  of  grass  is  fixed  immediately 
above  the  head,  part  of  which  stands  above 
ground.  When  finished,  the  men  and  wo- 
men stoop,  and  with  their  hands  scrape  the 
loose  soil  around  on  to  the  little  mound.  A 
large  bowl  of  water,  with  an  infusion  of 
bulbs,  is  then  brought,  when  the  men  and 
women  wash  their  hands  and  the  upper  part 
of  their  feet,  shouting  “pula,  pula,”  rain, 
rain.  An  old  woman,  probably  a relation, 
will  then  bring  his  weapons,  bows,  arrows, 
war  axe,  and  spears,  also  grain  and  garden 


60 


WILD  DOGS  HUNTING. 


seeds  of  various  kinds,  and  even  the  bone  of 
an  old  pack-ox,  with  other  things,  and  ad- 
dress the  grave,  saying,  “there  are  all  your 
articles.”  These  are  then  taken  away,  and 
bowls  of  water  are  poured  on  the  grave, 
when  all  retire,  the  women  wailing,  “yo, 
yo,  yo,”  with  some  doleful  dirge,  sorrowing 
without  hope.  These  ceremonies  vary  in 
different  localities,  and  according  to  the  rank 
of  the  individual  who  is  committed  to  the 
dust.  It  is  remarkable  that  they  should  ad- 
dress the  dead ; and  I have  eagerly  embra- 
ced this  season  to  convince  them  that  if  they 
did  not  believe  in  the  immortality  of  the  soul, 
it  was  evident  from  this,  to  them  now  un- 
meaning custom,  that  their  ancestors  once 
did.  Some  would  admit  this  might  possibly 
have  been  the  case,  but  doubted  whether 
they  could  have  been  so  foolish.  But  with 
few  exceptions  among  such  a people,  argu- 
ment soon  closes,  or  is  turned  into  ridicule, 
and  the  great  difficulty  presents  itself  of  pro- 
ducing conviction  where  there  is  no  re- 
flection. 


WILD  LOGS  HUNTING. 

DuRiNGOur  stay  at  this  place, a circumstance 
occurred  which  may  throw  some  light  on  the 
habits  of  these  people,  and  confirms  the  old 
adage,  “ that  the  one  half  of  the  world  does 
not  know  how  the  other  half  lives.”  It  was 
at  noon-day  when  a fine  large  hartebeest 


WILD  DOGS  HUNTING. 


61 


(khama  of  the  Bechuanas,)  the  swiftest  of  the 
antelope  species,  darted  close  past  the  wagon, 
and  descended  towards  the  extensive  valley. 
Startled  by  so  unusual  an  occurrence,  one  of 
the  natives  called  out,  “It  is  the  wild  dogs;” 
and  presently  the  whole  pack  made  their 
appearance,  following  their  leader,  which 
was  pursuing  the  antelope.  We  seized  our 
guns  to  attack  them  as  beasts  of  prey.  The 
poor  people  who  were  sitting  around  their 
flesh-pots  started  up  and  followed,  begging 
of  us  most  earnestly  not  to  kill  the  wild  dogs, 
for  they  were  their  providers.  We  of  course 
laid  down  our  guns  again,  and  directed  our 
attention  to  the  khama,  which  was  soon  over- 
taken and  seized  by  the  hind  leg.  It  turned 
round  to  defend  itself,  and  then  started  off 
till  again  seized  by  the  wild  dog.  As  we  had 
in  a measure  retarded  the  speed  of  the  pack, 
about  thirty  in  number,  the  single  dog  en- 
gaged baiting  the  khama  looked  round  and 
gave  a piteous  howl  for  his  companions  to 
come  to  his  assistance.  When  they  overtook 
the  poor  animal  they  fell  upon  it  with  one 
accord,  and  instantly  brought  it  to  the  ground. 
One  of  my  men  ran  off  in  order  to  secure  a 
piece  of  the  skin  of  which  he  wanted  to  make 
shoes,  but  by  the  time  he  reached  the  spot, 
nothing  remained  but  bones,  and  those  well 
picked.  These  the  poor  people  afterwards 
collected  for  the  sake  of  the  marrow.  On 
further  inquiry,  I found  that  these  people  are 
in  the  habit,  when  they  see  an  antelope,  or 
even  an  ostrich,  pursued  by  the  wild  dogs,  of 


62 


WILD  DOGS  HUNTING. 


endeavouring  to  frighten  them  away,  that 
they  may  come  in  for  a share  of  the  prey. 
One  of  the  men,  with  much  feeling  for  him- 
self and  companions,  said,  patting  his  hand 
on  his  stomach,  “ Oh,  I am  glad  you  did 
not  shoot  the  dogs,  for  they  often  find  us  a 
meal.” 

At  another  place  the  poor  people  were 
very  glad,  on  the  same  account,  that  we  had 
not  killed  the  lion,  which  had  been  trouble- 
some to  us  during  the  night.  These  children 
of  the  desert  very  promptly  described  the 
manner  of  the  wild-dog  chase,  which  I have 
since  had  opportunities  of  witnessing.  When 
the  dogs  approach  a troop  of  antelopes,  they 
select  one,  no  matter  how  it  may  mingle  with 
others  on  the  dusty  plain;  the  dog  that  starts 
never  loses  scent,  or,  if  he  does,  it  is  soon 
discovered  by  the  pack,  which  follow  after, 
as  they  spread  themselves  the  more  readily 
to  regain  it.  While  the  single  dog  who  takes 
the  lead  has  occasion  to  make  angles  in  pur- 
suit of  his  prey,  the  others,  who  hear  his  cry 
or  short  howl,  avoid  a circuitous  course,  and 
by  this  means  easily  come  up  again,  when  a 
fresh  dog  resumes  the  chase,  and  the, other 
turns  into  the  pack.  In  this  way  they  relieve 
each  other  till  they  have  caught  the  animal, 
which  they  rarely  fail  to  accomplish,  though 
sometimes  after  a very  long  run.  Should 
they  in  their  course  happen  to  pass  other 
game  much  nearer  than  the  one  in  pursuit, 
They  take  no  notice  of  it.  These  dogs,  of 
which  there  are  two  species,  never  attack 


THE  HYENA. 


63 


man,  but  are  very  destructive  to  sheep  and 
goats,  and  even  to  cows,  when  they  come 
in  their  way. 


THE  HYENA. 

One  night  we  heard  a woman  screaming 
in  the  town,  and,  on  inquiry  in  the  morning, 
found  that  a hyena  had  carried  away  her 
child,  which  had  happened  to  wander  a few 
yards  from  the  door.  On  our  expressing 
astonishment,  we  were  informed  that  such 
occurrences  were  very  common,  and  that 
after  night-fall  the  hyenas  were  in  the  habit 
of  strolling  through  all  the  lanes  of  the  town, 
and  carrying  away  whatever  they  could 
seize.  As  these  animals  were  thus  accus- 
tomed to  gorge  themselves  with  human  flesh, 
it  became  extremely  dangerous  to  pass  the 
night  in  the  open  field,  especially  on  the  con- 
fines of  a town.  I pointed  out  plans  by 
which  it  appeared  to  me  they  might  succeed 
in  extirpating  them,  but  they  seemed  very 
indifferent  to  my  suggestions;  urging  as  a 
reason,  that  there  was  something  not  lucky 
in  coming  in  contact  with  the  blood  of  a 
hyena. 

One  evening,  long  before  retiring  to  rest, 
we  heard,  in  the  direction  of  the  water  pools, 
the  screaming  of  women  and  children,  as  if 
they  were  in  the  greatest  danger.  1 sent  off 
a few  men,  who  ran  to  the  spot,  and  found 


64 


RETRIBUTION. 


three  children  who  had  been  drawing  water 
closely  pursued  by  hyenas,  which  were  on 
the  point  of  seizing  them.  The  men  suc- 
ceeded in  driving  the  animals  away,  on 
which  they  ran  towards  the  women,  whom 
the  men  also  rescued.  I understood  that  it 
frequently  happened,  that  children  sent  to 
the  pools  for  water  never  returned.  Many 
must  thus  be  devoured  in  the  course  of  a 
year,  a reflection  calculated  to  make  any  one 
shudder. 


RETRIBUTION. 

The  infection  of  war  and  plunder  was 
such,  that  scarcely  a tribe  or  town  in  the 
whole  country  was  exempt.  The  Batlapis, 
who  of  all  the  neighbouring  tribes  had  suf- 
fered the  least,  owing  to  their  proximity  to 
our  station,  instead  of  being  thankful  for  this, 
authorized  one  of  their  number,  the  king’s 
brother,  to  go  with  a body  of  warriors  and 
attack  the  outposts  of  the  Bauangketsi.  They 
proceeded  as  far  as  the  Barolongs,  where 
they  met  with  the  Chief  Gontse,  who  re- 
ceived and  fed  them,  being  related  to  the 
royal  family  of  the  Batlapis.  Gontse,  who 
was  an  amiable  and  sensible  man,  dissuaded 
them  from  such  a daring  attempt,  which 
could  only  terminate  in  their  destruction. 
The  chief  of  the  party  convinced  of  this, 
resolved  on  returning,  but  watching  an  op- 
portunity, when  the  cattle  of  the  town  where 


RETRIBUTION. 


65 


they  had  received  such  hospitality  and  good 
counsel  had  gone  to  the  fields,  seized  on 
them,  and  having  two  or  three  guns  com- 
pelled their  owners  to  flee.  Elated  with  the 
success  of  this  disgraceful  achievement,  they 
returned  to  the  neighbourhood  of  our  sta- 
tion. We  said  nothing  on  the  subject,  ex- 
cept that  our  hearts  were  sad.  The  chief  of 
this  band  of  robbers,  induced  his  brother, 
Mothibi,  to  convene  a public  meeting,  in 
order  to  make  a kind  of  bravado.  Spies  and 
sycophants  had  been  sent  to  hear  our  judg- 
ment on  this  subject,  but  they  learned  no- 
thing more  or  less  than  that  “ we  were  sorry.” 
This  having  displeased  him,  after  pointing 
out  to  the  audience,  that  we  missionaries 
were  the  only  human  beings  in  the  world 
who  did  not  steal  cattle,  he  declared  that  in- 
stead of  being  thereby  awed,  he  would  show 
them  and  the  tribes  around,  that  if  his  name 
had  hitherto  been  Molala  (poor,)  henceforth 
he  would  be  a lion,  and  such  should  be  his 
name. 

Thus  he  spoke,  and  departed  with  a com- 
pany to  hunt.  One  afternoon,  seeing  a giraffe 
in  the  distance,  he  seized  his  spear,  mounted 
his  horse,  and  ordered  his  attendant  to  follow 
with  his  gun  on  another.  The  master  being 
on  the  swiftest  animal,  and  evening  coming 
on,  he  disappeared  on  the  undulating  plain, 
and  the  servant  returned  to  the  rendezvous. 
Next  day,  the  latter  with  some  companions 
pursued  the  trail,  found  where  his  master 
had  come  up  with  the  giraffe,  and  appeared 
6 


66 


RETRIBUTION. 


to  have  made  attempts  to  stab  it,  and  then 
from  the  course  he  took,  it  was  evident  he 
had  wandered.  They  slept,  and  with  the 
returning  day  continued  to  pursue  his  foot- 
marks, which  in  the  evening  brought  them 
to  a spot  where  a number  of  lions  had  been. 
Beside  a bush,  where  they  supposed  the 
chieftain  had  laid  himself  down  the  second 
night,  they  found  the  horse,  killed  by  the 
lions,  but  scarcely  touched,  while  the  man, 
his  clothes,  shoes,  saddle  and  bridle  were 
eaten  up,  and  nothing  left  but  the  skull. 
What  was  rather  remarkable,  the  master, 
seeing  he  was  leaving  his  servant  in  the  rear, 
turned  about  and  gave  him  his  tinder-box 
for  fear  of  losing  it  himself.  Had  he  retained 
this,  he  might  have  made  a fire,  which  would 
have  protected  him  from  the  lions,  and  led  to 
his  earlier  discovery.  This  event  was  too 
striking  to  be  overlooked  by  the  people,  who 
had  frequently  heard  of  a Divine  Providence, 
but  they  were  silent  and  endeavoured  to  re- 
lieve their  minds  by  driving  from  their  me- 
mories the  visage  and  vain  boastings  of  him, 
who  had  been  devoured  by  the  very  beast  of 
prey,  whose  name  and  powers  were  to  be 
his  motto,  and  the  characteristics  of  his  future 
actions. 


67 


THE  LOCUSTS. 

After  several  years  of  drought,  we  had, 
in  the  early  part  of  1826,  been  blessed  with 
plentiful  rains,  and  the  earth  was  speedily 
covered  with  verdure;  but  our  hopes  of 
abundance  were  soon  cut  off  by  swarms  of 
locusts,  which  infested  every  part  of  the 
country,  devouring  every  species  of  vegeta- 
tion. They  had  not  been  seen  for  more  than 
twenty  years  before,  but  have  never  entirely 
left  the  country  since.  They  might  be  seen 
passing  over  like  an  immense  cloud,  extend- 
ing from  the  earth  to  a considerable  height, 
producing,  with  their  wings,  a great  noise. 
They  always  proceed  nearly  in  the  direction 
of  the  wind,  those  in  advance  descending  to 
eat  any  thing  they  light  upon,  and  rising  in 
the  rear,  as  the  cloud  advances.  “ They 
have  no  king,  but  they  go  forth,  all  of  them, 
by  bands/’  and  are  gathered  together  in  one 
place  in  the  evening,  where  they  rest,  and 
from  their  immense  numbers  they  weigh 
down  the  shrubs,  and  lie  at  times  one  on  the 
other,  to  the  depth  of  several  inches.  In  the 
morning  when  the  sun  begins  to  diffuse 
warmth,  they  take  wing,  leaving  a large 
extent  without  one  vestige  of  verdure;  even 
the  plants  and  shrubs  are  barked.  Wherever 
they  halt  for  the  night,  or  alight  during  the 
day,  they  become  a prey  to  other  animals, 
and  are  eaten  not  only  by  beasts  of  prey,  but 


68 


THE  LOCUSTS. 


by  all  kinds  of  game,  serpents,  lizards,  and 
frogs.  When  passing  through  the  air,  kites, 
vultures,  crows,  and  particularly  the  locust 
bird,  as  it  is  called,  may  be  seen  devouring 
them.  When  a swarm  alights  on  gardens,  or 
even  fields,  the  crop  for  one  season  is  de- 
stroyed. I have  observed  a field  of  young 
maize  devoured  in  the  space  of  two  hours. 
They  eat  not  only  tobacco,  and  every  thing 
vegetable,  but  also  flannel  and  linen.  The 
natives  embrace  every  opportunity  of  gather- 
ing them,  which  can  be  done  during  the 
night.  Whenever  the  cloud  alights  at  a 
place  not  very  distant  from  a town,  the  in- 
habitants turn  out  with  sacks,  and  often  with 
pack-oxen,  gather  loads,  and  return  the  next 
day  with  millions. 

It  has  happened  that  in  gathering  them, 
individuals  have  been  bitten  by  serpents,  and 
on  one  occasion  a woman  had  been  travel- 
ling several  miles  with  a large  bundle  of 
locusts  on  her  head,  when  a serpent  which 
had  been  put  into  the  sack  with  them,  found 
its  way  out.  The  woman  supposing  it  to  be 
a thong  dangling  about  her  shoulders,  laid 
hold  of  it  with  her  hand,  and  feeling  that  it 
was  alive,  instantly  precipitated  both  to  the 
ground,  and  fled.  The  locusts  are  prepared 
for  eating,  by  simple  boiling,  or  rather 
steaming,  as  they  are  put  into  a large  pot 
with  a little  water,  and  covered  closely  up ; 
after  boiling  for  a short  time,  they  are  taken 
out  and  spread  on  mats  in  the  sun  to  dry, 
when  they  are  winnowed,  something  like 


THE  LOCUSTS. 


69 


corn,  to  clear  them  of  their  legs  and  wings; 
and  when  perfectly  dry,  are  put  into  sacks, 
or  laid  upon  the  house  floor  in  a heap.  The 
natives  eat  them  whole,  adding  a little  salt 
when  they  can  obtain  it;  or  they  pound 
them  in  a wooden  mortar,  and  when  they 
have  reduced  them  to  something  like  meal, 
they  mix  them  with  a little  water,  and  make 
a kind  of  cold  stir-about. 

When  locusts  abound,  the  natives  become 
quite  fat,  and  would  even  reward  any  old 
lady  who  said  that  she  had  coaxed  them  to 
alight  within  reach  of  the  inhabitants.  They 
are,  on  the  whole,  nqt  bad  food ; and  when 
hunger  has  made  them  palatable,  are  eaten 
as  matter  of  course.  When  well  fed  they 
are  almost  as  good  as  shrimps.  There  is  a 
species  not  eatable,  with  reddish  wings, 
rather  larger  than  those  described,  and 
which,  though  less  numerous,  are  more  de- 
structive. The  exploits  of  these  armies,  fear- 
ful as  they  are,  bear  no  comparison  to  the 
devastation  they  make  before  they  are  able 
to  fly,  in  which  state  they  are  called 
“boyane.”  They  receive  a new  name  in 
every  stage  of  their  growth,  till  they  reach 
maturity,  when  they  are  called  “letsie.” 
They  never  emerge  from  the  sand,  where 
they  were  deposited  as  eggs,  till  rain  has 
fallen  to  raise  grass  for  the  young  progeny. 
In  their  course,  from  which  nothing  can  di- 
vert them,  they  appear  like  a dark  red  stream, 
extending  often  more  than  a mile  broad; 
and  from  their  incessant  hopping,  the  dust 


70 


THE  LOCUSTS. 


appears  as  if  alive.  Nothing  but  a broad 
and  rapid  torrent  could  arrest  their  progress, 
and  that  only  by  drowning  them;  and  if  one 
reached  the  opposite  shore,  it  would  keep 
the  original  direction.  A small  rivulet  avails 
nothing,  as  they  swim  dexterously.  A line 
of  fire  is  no  barrier,  as  they  leap  into  it  till 
it  is  extinguished,  and  the  others  walk  over 
the  dead.  Walls  and  houses  form  no  impe- 
diment; they  climb  the  very  chimneys,  either 
obliquely  or  straight  over  such  obstacles, 
just  as  their  instinct  leads  them.  All  other 
earthly  powers,  from  the  fiercest  lion  to  a 
marshalled  army,  are  nothing  compared  with 
these  diminutive  insects.  The  course  they 
have  followed,  is  stripped  of  every  leaf  or 
blade  of  verdure.  It  is  enough  to  make  the 
inhabitants  of  a village  turn  pale  to  hear  that 
they  are  coming  in  a straight  line  to  their 
gardens.  When  a country  is  not  extensive, 
and  is  bounded  by  the  sea,  the  scourge  is 
soon  over,  the  winds  carrying  them  away 
like  clouds  to  the  watery  waste,  where  they 
alight  to  rise  no  more.  Thus  the  immense 
flights  which  pass  to  the  south  and  east, 
rarely  return,  but  fresh  supplies  are  always 
pouring  down  from  the  north.  All  human 
endeavours  to  diminish  their  numbers,  would 
appear  like  attempting  to  drain  the  ocean  by 
a pump. 


71 


THE  THIEYES. 

It  was  not  surprising  that  our  scanty  sup- 
plies, which  we  were  compelled  to  procure 
from  a distance,  were  seized  by  the  hungry 
people.  If  our  oxen  or  calves  were  allowed 
to  wander  out  of  sight,  they  were  instantly 
stolen.  One  day  two  noted  fellows  from  the 
mountains  came  down  on  a man  who  had 
the  charge  of  our  cattle,  murdered  him,  and 
ran  off  with  an  ox.  Some  time  before  the 
whole  of  our  calves  disappeared ; two  of  our 
men  went  in  pursuit,  and  found  in  the  ruins 
of  an  old  town  the  remains  of  the  calves 
laid  aside  for  future  use.  On  tracing  the 
footmarks  to  a secluded  spot  near  the  river, 
they  found  the  thieves,  two  desperate  looking 
characters,  who,  seizing  their  bows  and  poi- 
soned arrows,  dared  their  approach.  It 
would  have  been  easy  for  our  men  to  have 
shot  them  on  the  spot,  but  their  only  object 
was  to  bring  them,  if  possible,  to  the  station. 
After  a dangerous  scuffle,  one  fled,  and  the 
other  precipitated  himself  into  a pool  of 
water,  amidst  reeds,  where  he  stood  mena- 
cing the  men  with  his  drawn  bow,  till  they 
at  last  succeeded  in  seizing  him.  He  was 
brought  to  the  station,  with  some  of  the 
meat,  which,  though  not  killed  in  the  most 
delicate  manner,  was  acceptable,  and  was 
the  first  veal  we  ever  ate  there;  for  calves 
are  too  valuable  in  that  country  to  be  slaugh- 
tered, not  only  because  they  perpetuate  the 


72 


THE  THIEVES. 


supply  of  milk  from  the  cow,  but  are  reared 
to  use  in  travelling  and  agriculture. 

The  prisoner  had  a most  forbidding  ap- 
pearance, and  we  could  not  help  regarding 
him  as  a being  brutalized  by  hunger ; and, 
in  addition  to  a defect  in  vision,  he  looked 
like  one  capable  of  perpetrating  any  action 
without  remorse.  His  replies  to  our  queries 
and  expostulations  were  something  like  the 
growlings  of  a disappointed  hungry  beast  of 
prey.  There  were  no  authorities  in  the 
country  to  which  we  could  appeal,  and  the 
conclusion  to  which  the  people  came,  was  to 
inflict  a little  castigation,  while  one  of  the 
natives  was  to  whisper  in  his  ear  that  he 
must  flee  for  his  life.  Seeing  a young  man 
drawing  near  with  a gun,  he  took  to  his  heels, 
and  the  man  firing  a charge  of  loose  powder 
after  him,  increased  his  terror,  and  made  him 
bound  into  the  marsh  and  flee  to  the  opposite 
side,  thinking  himself  well  off  to  have  esca- 
ped with  his  life,  which  he  could  not  have 
expected  from  his  own  countrymen.  He 
lived  for  a time  at  a neighboring  village, 
where  he  was  wont  to  describe  in  graphic 
style  his  narrow  escape,  and  how  he  had 
outrun  the  musket  ball.  When  told  by  some 
one  that  the  gun  was  only  to  frighten  him,  he 
saw  that  it  must  have  been  so ; he  reasoned 
on  our  character,  made  inquiries,  and  from 
our  men  sparing  him  in  the  first  instance,  and 
ourselves  giving  him  food,  and  allowing  him 
to  run  off  after  he  had  received  a few  strokes 
with  a thong,  he  concluded  that  there  must 


LIONS  AT  NIGHT. 


73 


be  something  very  merciful  about  our  cha- 
racter ; and  at  last  he  made  his  appearance 
again  on  our  station.  He  was  soon  after 
employed  as  a labourer,  embraced  the  Gos- 
pel, and  has,  through  divine  grace,  continued 
to  make  a consistent  profession,  and  is  be- 
come an  example  of  intelligence,  industry, 
and  love. 


LIONS  AT  NIGHT. 

On  the  night  of  the  third  day’s  journey, 
having  halted  at  a pool,  (Khokhole,)  we  lis- 
tened on  the  lonely  plain  for  the  sound  of  an 
inhabitant,  but  all  was  silent.  We  could  dis- 
cover no  lights,  and  amid  the  darkness  were 
unable  to  trace  footmarks  to  the  pool.  We 
let  loose  our  wearied  oxen  to  drink  and 
graze,  but  as  we  were  ignorant  of  the  cha- 
racter of  the  company  with  which  we  might 
have  to  spend  the  night,  we  took  a firebrand 
and  examined  the  edges  of  the  pool,  to  see, 
from  the  imprints,  what  animals  were  in  the 
habit  of  drinking  there,  and,  with  terror,  dis- 
covered many  spoors  of  lions.  We  immedi- 
ately collected  the  oxen,  and  brought  them  to 
the  wagon,  to  which  we  fastened  them  with 
the  strongest  thongs  we  had,  having  disco- 
vered in  their  appearance  something  rather 
wild,  indicating  that,  either  from  scent  or 
sight,  they  knew  danger  was  near.  The 
two  Barolongs  had  brought  a young  cow 


74 


LIONS  AT  NIGHT. 


with  them,  and  though  I recommended  their 
making  her  fast  also,  they  very  humorously 
replied  that  she  was  too  wise  to  leave  the 
wagon  and  oxen,  even  though  a lion  should 
be  scented.  We  took  a little  supper,  which 
was  followed  by  our  evening  hymn  and 
prayer.  I had  retired  only  a few  minutes 
to  my  wagon  to  prepare  for  the  night,  when 
the  whole  of  the  oxen  started  to  their  feet. 

A lion  had  seized  the  cow  only  a few  steps 
from  their  tails,  and  dragged  it  to  the  distance 
of  thirty  or  forty  yards,  where  we  distinctly 
heard  it  tearing  the  animal,  and  breaking  its 
bones,  while  its  bello  wings  were  most  pitiful. 
When  these  were  over,  I seized  my  gun,  but 
as  it  was  too  dark  to  see  any  object  at  half 
the  distance,  I aimed  at  the  spot  where  the 
devouring  jaws  of  the  lion  were  heard.  I 
fired  again  and  again,  to  which  he  replied 
with  tremendous  roars,  at  the  same  time  ma- 
king a rush  towards  the  wagon,  so  as  exceed- 
ingly to  terrify  the  oxen.  The  two  Barolongs 
engaged  to  take  firebrands,  advance  a few 
yards,  and  throw  them  at  him,  so  as  to  afford 
me  a degree  of  light,  that  I might  take  aim, 
the  place  being  bushy.  They  had  scarcely 
discharged  them  from  their  hands  when  the 
flame  went  out,  and  the  enraged  animal 
rushed  towards  them  with  such  swiftness 
that  I had  barely  time  to  turn  the  gun  and 
fire  between  the  men  and  the  lion,  and  provi- 
dentially the  ball  struck  the  ground  immedi- 
ately under  his  head,  as  we  found  by  exa- 
mination the  following  morning.  From  this 


LION'S  AT  NIGHT. 


75 


surprise  he  returned,  growling  dreadfully. 
The  men  darted  through  some  thorn  bushes, 
with  countenances  indicative  of  the  utmost 
terror.  It  was  now  the  opinion  of  all  that 
we  had  better  let  him  alone  if  he  did  not 
molest  us. 

Having  but  a scanty  supply  of  wood  to 
keep  up  a fire,  one  man  crept  among  the 
bushes  on  one  side  of  the  pool,  while  I pro- 
ceeded for  the  same  purpose  on  the  other 
side.  I had  not  gone  far,  when,  looking  up- 
ward to  the  edge  of  the  small  basin,  I dis- 
cerned between  me  and  the  sky  four  animals, 
whose  attention  appeared  to  be  directed  to 
me,  by  the  noise  I made  in  breaking  a dry 
stick.  On  closer  inspection,  I found  that  the 
large,  round,  hairy-headed  visitors  were 
lions;  and  retreated  on  my  hands  and  feet 
towards  the  other  side  of  the  pool,  when 
coming  to  my  wagon-driver,  to  inform  him 
of  our  danger,  I found  him  looking,  with  no 
little  alarm,  in  an  opposite  direction,  and 
with  good  reason,  as  no  fewer  than  two 
lions,  with  a cub,  were  eyeing  us  both,  ap- 
parently as  uncertain  about  us  as  we  were 
distrustful  of  them.  They  appeared,  as  they 
always  do  in  the  dark,  twice  the  usual  size. 
We  thankfully  decamped  to  the  wagon,  and 
sat  down  to  keep  alive  our  scanty  fire,  while 
we  listened  to  the  lion  tearing  and  devouring 
his  prey.  When  any  of  the  other  hungry 
lions  dared  to  approach,  he  would  pursue 
them  for  some  paces,  with  a horrible  howl, 
which  made  our  poor  oxen  tremble,  and 


76 


LIONS  AT  NIGHT. 


produced  any  thing  but  agreeable  sensations 
in  ourselves.  We  had  reason  for  alarm,  lest 
any  of  the  six  lions  we  saw,  fearless  of  our 
small  fire,  might  rush  in  among  us.  The 
two  Barolongs  were  grudging  the  lion  his 
fat  meal,  and  would  now  and  then  break  the 
silence  with  a deep  sigh,  and  expressions  of 
regret  that  such  a vagabond  lion  should  have 
such  a feast  on  their  cow,  which  they  antici- 
pated would  have  afforded  them  many  a 
draught  of  luscious  milk.  Before  the  day 
dawned,  having  deposited  nearly  the  whole 
of  the  carcase  in  his  stomach,  he  collected 
the  head,  backbone,  parts  of  the  legs,  the 
paunch,  which  he  emptied  of  its  contents, 
and  the  two  clubs  which  had  been  thrown 
at  him,  and  walked  off,  leaving  nothing  but 
some  fragments  of  bones,  and  one  of  my 
balls,  which  had  hit  the  carcase  instead  of 
himself. 

When  it  was  light  we  examined  the  spot, 
and  found,  from  the  foot-marks,  that  the  lion 
was  a large  one,  and  had  devoured  the  cow 
himself.  I had  some  difficulty  in  believing 
this,  but  was  fully  convinced  by  the  Baro- 
longs pointing  out  to  me  that  the  foot-marks 
of  the  other  lions  had  not  come  within  thirty 
yards  of  the  spot,  two  jackals  only  had  ap- 
proached to  lick  up  any  little  leavings.  The 
men  pursued  the  spoor  to  find  the  fragments, 
where  the  lion  had  deposited  them,  while  he 
retired  to  a thicket  to  sleep  during  the  day. 
I had  often  heard  how  much  a large,  hungry 
lion  would  eat,  but  nothing  less  than  a de- 


NIGHT  ADVENTURE. 


77 


monstration  would  have  convinced  me  that 
it  was  possible  for  him  to  have  eaten  all  the 
flesh  of  a good  heifer,  and  many  of  the  bones, 
for  scarcely  a rib  was  left,  and  even  some  of 
the  marrow-bones  were  broken  as  if  with  a 
hammer. 


NIGHT  ADVENTURE. 

Being  in  want  of  food,  and  not  liking  to 
spend  a harassing  day,  exposed  to  a hot  sun, 
on  a thirsty  plain,  in  quest  of  a steak,  I went 
one  night,  accompanied  by  two  men,  to  the 
water  whence  the  supply  for  the  tOAvn  was 
obtained,  as  well  as  where  the  cattle  came 
to  drink.  We  determined  to  lie  in  a hollow 
spot  near  the  fountain,  and  shoot  the  first 
object  which  might  come  within  our  reach. 
It  was  half  moonlight,  and  rather  cold, 
though  the  days  were  warm.  We  remained 
for  a couple  of  hours,  waiting  with  great 
anxiety  for  something  to  appear.  We  at 
length  heard  a loud  lapping  at  the  water, 
under  the  dark  shadowy  bank,  within  twenty 
yards  of  us.  “ What  is  that?”  I asked  Bo- 
gachu.  “Ririmala,”  (be  silent,)  he  said; 
“ there  are  lions,  they  will  hear  us.”  A 
hint  was  more  than  enough;  and  thankful 
were  we,  that,  when  they  had  drunk,  they 
did  not  come  over  the  smooth  grassy  surface 
in  our  direction.  Our  next  visitors  were 
two  buffaloes,  one  immensely  large.  My 
wagon-driver,  Mosi,  who  also  had  a gun, 


78 


NIGHT  ADVENTURE. 


seeing  them  coming  directly  towards  us, 
begged  me  to  fire.  I refused,  having  more 
dread  of  a wounded  buffalo  than  of  almost 
any  other  animal.  He  fired;  and  though 
the  animal  was  severely  wounded,  he  stood 
like  a statue  with  his  companion,  within  a 
hundred  yards  of  us,  for  more  than  an  hour, 
waiting  to  see  us  move,  in  order  to  attack 
us.  We  lay  in  an  awkward  position  for  that 
time,  scarcely  daring  to  whisper;  and  when 
he  at  last  retired  we  were  so  stiff  with  cold, 
that  flight  would  have  been  impossible  had 
an  attack  been  made.  We  then  moved  about 
till  our  blood  began  to  circulate.  Our  next 
visitors  were  two  giraffes;  one  of  these  we 
wounded.  A troop  of  quaggas  next  came; 
but  the  successful  instinct  of  the  principal 
stallion,  in  surveying  the  precincts  of  the 
water,  galloping  round  in  all  directions  to 
catch  any  strange  scent,  and  returning  to  the 
troop  with  a whistling  noise,  to  announce 
danger,  set  them  off  at  full  speed.  The  next 
was  a huge  rhinoceros,  which,  receiving  a 
mortal  wound,  departed.  Hearing  the  ap- 
proach of  more  lions,  we  judged  it  best  to 
leave ; and  after  a lonely  walk  of  four  miles 
through  bushes,  hyenas  and  jackals,  we 
reached  the  village,  when  I felt  thankful,  re- 
solving never  to  hunt  by  night  at  a water- 
pool,  till  I could  find  nothing  to  eat  else- 
where. Next  day  the  rhinoceros  and  buf- 
falo were  found,  which  afforded  a plentiful 
supply. 


79 


SINGULAR  CUSTOM. 

A custom  prevails  among  all  the  Bechu- 
anas  whom  I have  visited,  of  removing  to  a 
distance  from  the  towns  and  villages  persons 
who  have  been  wounded.  Two  young  men 
who  had  been  wounded  by  the  poisoned 
arrows  of  the  Bushmen,  were  thus  removed 
from  the  Kuruman.  Having  visited  them  to 
administer  relief,  I made  inquiries,  but  could 
learn  no  reason,  except  that  it  was  a custom. 
This  unnatural  practice  exposed  the  often 
helpless  invalid  to  great  danger;  for,  if  not 
well  attended  during  the  night,  his  paltry 
little  hut,  or  rather  shade  from  the  sun  and 
wind,  would  be  assailed  by  the  hyena  or  lion. 
A catastrophe  of  this  kind  occurred  a short 
time  before  my  arrival  among  the  Barolongs. 
The  son  of  one  of  the  principal  chiefs,  a fine 
young  man, had  been  wounded  by  a buffalo; 
he  was,  according  to  custom,  placed  on  the 
outside  of  the  village  till  he  should  recover; 
a portion  of  food  was  daily  sent,  and  a per- 
son appointed  to  make  his  fire  for  the  even- 
ing. The  fire  went  out ; and  the  helpless 
man,  notwithstanding  his  piteous  cries,  was 
carried  off  by  a lion,  and  devoured.  Some 
might  think  that  this  practice  originated  in 
the  treatment  of  infectious  diseases,  such  as 
leprosy;  but  the  only  individual  I ever  saw 
thus  affected,  was  not  separated.  This  disease, 
though  often  found  among  slaves  in  the  co- 
lony, is  unknown  among  the  tribes  in  the 


80 


THE  NATIVE  BLACKSMITH. 


interior,  and  therefore  they  have  no  name 
for  it. 


THE  NATIVE  BLACKSMITH. 

Among  the  different  tribes  congregated  in 
this  wilderness  part  of  the  world,  the  Bahu- 
rutsian  refugees  were  the  most  interesting 
and  industrious.  Having  occasion  to  mend 
the  linchpin  of  my  wagon,  I inquired  for  a 
native  smith,  when  a respectable  and  rather 
venerable  man  with  one  eye,  was*  pointed 
out.  Observing  from  the  cut  of  his  hair,  that 
he  was  a foreigner,  and  inquiring  where  he 
practised  his  trade,  I was  affected  to  hear 
him  reply,  “I  am  a Mohurutsi,  from  Kurre- 
chane.”  I accompanied  him  to  his  shop,  in 
an  open  yard  at  the  back  of  his  house.  The 
whole  of  his  implements  consisted  of  two 
small  goat-skins  for  bellows,  some  small  bro- 
ken pots  for  crucibles,  a few  round  green 
stone  boulders  for  his  anvil,  a hammer  made 
of  a small  piece  of  iron,  about  three-quarters 
of  an  inch  thick,  and  rather  more  than  two 
by  three  inches  square,  with  a handle  in  a 
hole  in  the  centre,  a cold  chisel,  two  or  three 
other  shapeless  tools,  and  a heap  of  charcoal. 
“ I am  not  an  iron-smith/’  he  said,  “ I work 
in  copper;”  showing  me  some  of  his  copper 
and  brass  ornaments,  consisting  of  ear-rings, 
arm-rings,  &c.  I told  him  I only  wanted 
wind  and  fire.  He  sat  down  between  his 


THE  NATIVE  BLACKSMITH. 


81 


two  goat-skins,  and  puffed  away.  Instead 
of  using  his  tongs,  made  of  the  bark  of  a tree, 
I went  for  my  own.  When  he  saw  them  he 
gazed  in  silent  admiration;  he  turned  them 
over  and  over:  he  had  never  seen  such  inge- 
nuity, and  pressed  them  to  his  chest,  giving 
me  a most  expressive  look,  which  was  as 
intelligible  as  “ Will  you  give  them  to  me?” 
My  work  was  soon  done,  when  he  entered 
his  hut,  from  which  he  brought  a piece  of 
flat  iron,  begging  me  to  pierce  it  with  a num- 
ber of  different  sized  holes,  for  the  purpose 
of  drawing  copper  and  brass  wire.  Request- 
ing to  see  the  old  one,  it  was  produced, 
accompanied  by  the  feeling  declaration,  “ It 
is  from  Kurrechane.” 

Having  examined  his  manner  of  using  it, 
and  formed  a tolerable  idea  of  the  thing  he 
wanted,  I set  to  work;  and  finding  his  iron 
too  soft  for  piercing  holes  through  nearly 
an  half-inch  iron  plate,  I took  the  oldest  of 
my  two  handsaw  files  to  make  a punch, 
which  I had  to  repair  many  times.  After 
much  labour,  and  a long  time  spent,  I suc- 
ceeded in  piercing  about  twenty  holes,  from 
the  eighth  of  an  inch  to  the  thickness  of  a 
thread.  The  moment  the  work  was  com- 
pleted, he  grasped  it,  and  breaking  out  into 
exclamations  of  surprise,  bounded  over  the 
fence  like  an  antelope,  and  danced  about  the 
village  like  a merry-andrew,  exhibiting  his 
treasure  to  every  one,  and  asking  if  they  ever 
saw  any  thing  like  it.  Next  day  I told  him, 
that  as  we  were  brothers  of  one  trade,  (for, 
7 


82 


THE  NATIVE  BLACKSMITH. 


among  the  Africans,  arts,  though  in  their 
infancy,  have  their  secrets  too,)  he  must  show 
me  the  whole  process  of  melting  copper, 
making  brass,  and  drawing  wire.  The  broken 
pot  or  crucible,  containing  a quantity  of  cop- 
per, and  a little  tin,  was  presently  fixed  in 
the  centre  of  a charcoal  fire.  He  then  applied 
his  bellows  till  the  contents  were  fused.  He 
had  previously  prepared  a heap  of  sand, 
slightly  adhesive,  and  by  thrusting  a stick 
about  two  eighths  of  an  inch  in  diameter, 
like  the  ramrod  of  a musket,  obliquely  into 
this  heap,  he  made  holes,  into  which  he 
poured  the  contents  of  his  crucible.  He  then 
fixed  a round,  smooth  stick,  about  three  feet 
high,  having  a split  in  the  top,  upright  in  the 
ground,  when,  taking  out  his  rods  of  brass, 
he  beat  them  out  on  a stone  with  his  little 
hammer,  till  they  were  about  the  eighth  of 
an  inch  square,  occasionally  softening  them 
in  a small  flame,  made  by  burning  grass. 
Having  reduced  them  all  to  this  thickness, 
he  laid  the  end  of  one  on  a stone,  and  rub- 
bing it  to  a point  on  another  stone,  in  order 
to  introduce  it  through  the  largest  hole  of  his 
iron-plate ; he  then  opened  the  split  in  the 
upright  stick  to  hold  fast  the  end  of  the  wire, 
when  he  forced  the  plate  and  wire  round  the 
stick  with  a lever-power,  frequently  rubbing 
the  wire  with  oil  or  fat.  The  same  operation 
is  performed  each  time,  making  the  point  of 
the  wire  smaller  for  a less  hole,  till  it  is  re- 
duced to  the  size  wanted,  which  is  sometimes 
about  that  of  thick  sewing  cotton.  The  wire 


HOUSES  IN  A TREE. 


HOUSES  IN  A TREE. 


83 


is,  of  course,  far  inferior  in  colour  and  quality 
to  our  brass-wire.  The  native  smiths,  how- 
ever, evince  great  dexterity  in  working  orna- 
ments from  copper,  brass,  and  iron. 


HOUSES  IN  A TREE. 

Having  travelled  one  hundred  miles,  five 
days  after  leaving  Mosega  we  came  to  the 
first  cattle  outposts  of  the  Matabele,  when  we 
halted  by  a fine  rivulet.  My  attention  was 
arrested  by  a beautiful  and  gigantic  tree, 
standing  in  a defile  leading  into  an  extensive 
and  woody  ravine,  between  a high  range  of 
mountains.  Seeing  some  individuals  em- 
ployed on  the  ground  under  its  shade,  and 
the  conical  points  of  what  looked  like  houses 
in  miniature,  protruding  through  its  ever- 
green foliage,  I proceeded  thither,  and  found 
that  the  tree  was  inhabited  by  several  fami- 
lies of  Bakones,  the  aborigines  of  the  country. 
I ascended  by  the  notched  trunk,  and  found, 
to  my  amazement,  no  less  than  seventeen  of 
these  aerial  abodes,  and  three  others  unfinish- 
ed. On  reaching  the  topmost  hut,  about  thirty 
feet  from  the  ground,  I entered  and  sat  down. 
Its  only  furniture  was  the  hay  which  covered 
the  floor,  a spear,  a spoon,  and  a bowl  full  of 
locusts.  Not  having  eaten  any  thing  that  day, 
and  from  the  novelty  of  my  situation  not  wish- 
ing to  return  immediately  to  the  wagons,  I 
asked  a woman  who  sat  at  the  door,  with  a 


84 


HOUSES  IN  A TREE. 


babe  at  her  breast,  permission  to  eat.  This 
she  granted  with  pleasure,  and  soon  brought 
me  more  in  a powdered  state.  Several  more 
females  came  from  the  neighboring  roosts, 
stepping  from  branch  to  branch,  to  see  the 
stranger,  who  was  to  them  as  great  a curi- 
osity as  the  tree  was  to  him.  I then  visited 
the  different  abodes,  which  were  on  several 
principal  branches.  The  structure  of  these 
houses  was  very  simple.  An  oblong  scaffold, 
about  seven  feet  wide,  is  formed  of  straight 
sticks ; on  one  end  of  this  platform  a small 
cone  is  formed,  also  of  straight  sticks,  and 
thatched  with  grass.  A person  can  nearly 
stand  upright  in  it;  the  diameter  of  the  floor 
is  about  six  feet.  The  house  stands  on  the 
end  of  the  oblong,  so  as  to  leave  a little  square 
space  before  the  door.  On  the  day  previous 
I had  passed  several  villages,  some  containing 
forty  houses,  all  built  on  poles  about  seven  or 
eight  feet  from  the  ground,  in  the  form  of  a 
circle  ; the  ascent  and  descent  is  by  a knotty 
branch  of  a tree  placed  in  front  of  the  house. 
In  the  centre  of  the  circle  there  is  always  a 
heap  of  the  bones  of  game  they  have  killed. 
Such  were  the  domiciles  of  the  impoverished 
thousands  of  the  aborigines  of  the  country, 
who,  having  been  scattered  and  peeled  by 
Moselekatse,  had  neither  herd  nor  stall,  but 
subsisted  on  locusts,  roots,  and  the  chase. 
They  adopted  this  mode  of  architecture  to 
escape  the  lions  which  abounded  in  the  coun- 
try. During  the  day  the  families  descended 
to  the  shade  beneath  to  dress  their  daily  food. 


NATIVE  ELOQUENCE. 


85 


When  the  inhabitants  increased,  they  sup- 
ported the  augmented  weight  on  the  branches 
by  upright  sticks,  but  when  lightened  of  their 
load,  they  removed  these  for  firewood. 

Asa  proof  of  the  necessity  of  such  an  ex- 
pedient as  above  described,  I may  add,  that 
during  the  day,  having  shot  a rhinoceros,  we 
had  reserved  the  hump  of  the  animal  to  roast 
during  the  night.  A large  ant-hill  was  se- 
lected for  the  purpose,  and  being  prepared  by 
excavation  and  fire,  this  tit-bit  was  deposited. 
During  the  night,  a couple  of  lions,  attracted 
by  the  roast,  drew  near,  and  though  it  was 
beyond  gun-shot,  we  could  hear  them  dis- 
tinctly, as  if  holding  council  to  wait  till  the 
fire  went  out,  to  obtain  for  themselves  our 
anticipated  breakfast.  As  the  fire  appeared 
to  have  gone  out  altogether,  we  had  given  up 
hope  till  morning  light  showed  us  that  the 
lions  had  been  in  earnest,  but  the  heat  of  the 
smouldering  ant-hill  had  effectually  guarded 
our  steak. 


NATIVE  ELOQUENCE. 

On  a Sabbath  morning  I ascended  a hill, 
at  the  base  of  which  we  had  halted  the  pre- 
ceding evening,  to  spend  the  day.  I had 
scarcely  reached  the  summit,  and  sat  down, 
when  I found  that  my  intelligent  companion 
had  stolen  away  from  the  party,  to  answer 
some  questions  I had  asked  the  day  before, 
and  to  which  he  could  not  reply,  because  of 


86 


NATIVE  ELOQUENCE. 


the  presence  of  his  superiors.  Happening  to 
turn  to  the  right,  and  seeing  before  me  a 
large  extent  of  level  ground  covered  with 
ruins,  I inquired  what  had  become  of  the  in- 
habitants. 

He  had  just  sat  down,  but  rose,  evidently 
with  some  feeling,  and,  stretching  forth  his 
arm  in  the  direction  of  the  ruins,  said,  “I, 
even  I,  beheld  it !”  and  paused,  as  if  in  deep 
thought.  “ There  lived  the  great  chief  of 
multitudes.  He  reigned  among  them  like  a 
king.  He  was  the  chief  of  the  blue-coloured 
cattle.  They  were  numerous  as  the  dense 
mist  on  the  mountain  brow ; his  flocks 
covered  the  plain.  He  thought  the  number 
of  his  warriors  would  awe  his  enemies.  His 
people  boasted  in  their  spears,  and  laughed 
at  the  cowardice  of  such  as  had  fled  from 
their  towns.  ‘I  shall  slay  them,  and  hang 
up  their  shields  on  my  hill.  Our  race  is  a 
race  of  warriors.  Who  ever  subdued  our 
fathers?  they  were  mighty  in  combat.  We 
still  possess  the  spoils  of  ancient  times.  Have 
not  our  dogs  eaten  the  shields  of  their  no- 
bles? The  vultures  shall  devour  the  slain  of 
our  enemies.’  Thus  they  sang  and  thus 
they  danced,  till  they  beheld  on  yonder 
heights  the  approaching  foe.  The  noise  of 
their  song  was  hushed  in  night,  and  their 
hearts  were  filled  with  dismay.  They  saw 
the  clouds  ascend  from  the  plains.  It  was 
the  smoke  of  burning  towns.  The  confusion 
of  a whirlwind  was  in  the  heart  of  the  great 
chief  of  die  blue-coloured  cattle.  This  shout 


NATIVE  ELOQUENCE. 


87 


was  raised,  ‘They  are  friends/  but  they 
shouted  again,  ‘ They  are  foes/  till  their  near 
approach  proclaimed  them  naked  Matabele. 
The  men  seized  their  arms,  and  rushed  out, 
as  if  to  chase  the  antelope.  The  onset  was 
as  the  voice  of  lightning,  and  their  spears  as 
the  shaking  of  a forest  in  the  autumn  storm. 
The  Matabele  lions  raised  the  shout  of  death, 
and  flew  upon  their  victims.  It  was  the 
shout  of  victory.  Their  hissing  and  hollow 
groans  told  their  progress  among  the  dead. 
A few  moments  laid  hundreds  on  the  ground. 
The  clash  of  shields  was  the  signal  of 
triumph.  Our  people  fled  with  their  cattle 
to  the  top  of  yonder  mount.  The  Matabele 
entered  the  town  with  the  roar  of  the  lion; 
they  pillaged  and  fired  the  houses,  speared 
the  mothers,  and  cast  their  infants  to  the 
flames.  The  sun  went  down.  The  victors 
emerged  from  the  smoking  plain,  and  pur- 
sued their  course,  surrounding  the  base  of 
yonder  hill.  They  slaughtered  cattle ; they 
danced  and  sang  till  the  dawn  of  day;  they 
ascended,  and  killed  till  their  hands  were 
weary  of  the  spear.”  Stooping  to  the  ground 
on  which  he  stood,  he  took  up  a little  dust  in 
his  hand;  blowing  it  off,  and  holding  out  his 
naked  palm,  he  added,  “That  is  all  that  re- 
mains of  the  great  chief  of  the  blue-coloured 
cattle!”  It  is  impossible  for  me  to  describe 
my  feelings  while  listening  to  this  descriptive 
effusion  of  native  eloquence;  and  I after- 
wards embraced  opportunities  of  writing  it 
down,  of  which  the  above  is  only  an  abridg- 


ss 


THE  CAPTIVE  REDEEMED. 


ment.  I found  also  from  other  aborigines 
that  this  was  no  fabled  song,  but  merely  a 
compendious  sketch  of  the  catastrophe. 


THE  CAPTIVE  REDEEMED. 

It  has  been  before  stated  that  I was  accom- 
panied to  Moselekatse  by  Mokatla,  chief  of 
the  Bahurutsi.  Dreading  being  driven  with 
his  subjects  from  his  own  native  home  and 
picturesque  wilds,  and  the  tombs  of  his  fore- 
fathers, and  perhaps  extirpated,  as  other  tribes 
had  been — whose  bones  lay  withering  in  the 
blast,  on  the  plains  and  vales  which  lay  in  our 
course, — he  placed  himself  and  attendants  un- 
der my  protection,  though  I was  myself  a 
stranger,  and  had  not  seen  the  object  of  his 
terror,  and  that  of  the  tribes  around.  He 
hoped  that  as  the  missionary  character  had 
recommended  itself  to  him,  also  a savage,  he 
might  go  and  return  unscathed,  and  obtain 
the  friendship  of  one  who,  as  he  sometimes 
expressed  it,  “ prevented  his  peaceful  slum- 
bers.” His  attendants  were  respectable,  all 
anticipating  feasting  and  favour  from  one  who 
wallowed  in  the  spoils  of  war.  There  was 
one  exception.  This  was  a poor  man,  whose 
appearance,  dress,  and  manner,  informed  me 
that  he  was  truly  the  child  of  poverty,  and 
perhaps  of  sorrow.  This  led  me  to  take  more 
notice  of  him  than  any  other  of  the  chief's 
attendants.  I felt  sympathy  for  the  man, 
supposing  he  had  been  compelled  to  follow 


THE  CAPTIVE  REDEEMED. 


89 


the  train  of  his  chief,  and  leave  behind  him  a 
family  ill  supplied,  or  some  beloved  member 
sick.  No ; his  downcast  look  arose  from  other 
causes.  He  had  had  two  sons,  about  the  ages 
of  eight  and  ten.  These  had  been  absent  in  a 
neighbouring  glen,  when  a party  of  Matabele 
warriors  seized  the  boys,  and  carried  them  as 
spoils  to  head-quarters.  He  and  his  partner 
in  affliction  had  for  more  than  a year  mourned 
the  loss  of  their  children,  and,  by  taking  a few 
trinkets  and  beads,  his  little  stock  of  orna- 
ments, the  father  hoped  to  obtain  their  re- 
lease. After  a journey  of  deep  interest  and 
a flattering  reception,  and  days  passed  in  fes- 
tivities and  displays  of  kindness  to  the  stran- 
gers, the  man  sent  in  his  humble  petition  by 
one  who  could  approach  the  presence  of  the 
king,  offering  the  little  he  had  to  redeem  his 
two  boys. 

Some  time  afterwards  the  proprietor  of  his 
sons  came  and  seated  himself  before  my  wa- 
gon, as  I drew  near  to  witness  the  transaction. 
The  poor  man  spread  his  ragged  mantle  on 
the  ground,  and  laid  on  it  a few  strings  of 
beads  and  some  native  made  ornaments,  va- 
luable to  him,  but  on  which  the  haughty 
noble  would  scarcely  deign  to  cast  his  eye. 
The  father  sighed  to  see  his  look  of  scorn. 
He  then  drew  from  his  tattered  skins,  which 
he  had  brought  with  him,  and  on  which  he 
reposed  at  night,  a small  dirty  bag,  contain- 
ing a few  more  strings  of  half-worn  beads, 
and  placed  them  beside  the  former:  these 
were  borrowed.  The  scornful  look  was 
8 


90  THE  CAPTIVE  REDEEMED. 

again  repeated.  He  then  took  from  his 
arms  two  old  copper  rings,  and  rings  of  the 
same  material  from  his  ears.  The  chief  an- 
swered the  anxious  eyes  of  the  now  despond- 
ing father  with  a frown,  and  an  indignant 
shake  of  the  head.  He  then  took  from  his 
neck  the  only  remaining  link  of  beads  which 
he  possessed,  and  which  it  was  evident  he 
had  worn  many  a year.  This,  with  an  old, 
half-worn  knife,  he  added  to  the  offered  ran- 
som. It  was  his  all;  and  it  is  impossible  ever 
to  forget  the  expression  of  those  eyes,  which, 
though  from  national  habit,  they  would  not 
shed  the  tear  of  sorrow,  were  the  index  of 
the  deepest  anxiety  as  to  the  result.  Nei- 
ther the  man  or  his  ornaments  excited  the 
smallest  emotion  in  the  bosom  of  the  haughty 
chief,  who  talked  with  those  around  him 
about  general  affairs,  maintaining  the  most 
perfect  indifference  to  the  object  of  paternal 
agony  before  his  eyes.  He  at  last  arose ; 
and  being  solicited  by  one  who  felt  some- 
thing of  a father’s  love,  to  pity  the  old  man, 
who  had  walked  nearly  two  hundred  miles, 
and  brought  his  little  all  to  purchase  his  own 
children,  he  replied,  with  a sneer,  that  one 
had  died  of  cold  the  preceding  winter,  and 
what  the  father  offered  for  the  other  was  not 
worth  looking  at;  adding,  “I  want  oxen.” 
“I  have  not  even  a goat,”  replied  the  father. 
A sigh — it  was  a heavy  sigh — burst  from  his 
bosom: — one  dead,  and  not  permitted  even 
to  see  the  other  with  his  eyes.  The  chief 
walked  off,  while  the  man  sat  leaning  his 


THE  CAPTIVE  REDEEMED.  91 

head  on  the  palm  of  his  right  hand,  and  his 
eyes  fixed  on  the  ground,  apparently  lost  to 
every  thing  but  his  now  only  son,  now  doubly 
dear  from  the  loss  of  his  brother,  and  he,  alas ! 
far  beyond  his  power  to  rescue.  On  taking 
up  his  mantle  to  retire,  he  and  his  party  being 
obliged  to  leave  early  to  return  to  the  place 
whence  they  came,  he  was  told  to  be  of  good 
cheer,  and  an  effort  would  be  made  to  get 
his  son.  He  started  at  the  sound,  threw  his 
mantle  at  my  feet,  and  spreading  out  his 
hands  to  what  he  had  offered,  said,  “ Take 
these,  my  father,  and  pity  me.”  “ Retain 
them  for  yourself,”  was  the  reply.  He 
kissed  the  hand  of  his  pledged  benefactor, 
and  departed,  saying,  Ki  tla  na  le  boroko. 
“ I shall  have  slumber,”  (peace  of  mind.) 

In  the  course  of  the  following  day,  a fa- 
vourable moment  was  sought  to  bring  the 
case  before  the  king.  He  instantly  ordered 
his  brother,  the  individual  who  possessed  the 
boy,  to  wait  upon  me,  which  he  promptly 
did;  and  on  receiving  several  pounds  of  a 
valuable  kind  of  bead,  he  immediately  de- 
spatched a messenger  to  bring  the  boy,  who 
was  at  a distance,  and  who  arrived  the  fol- 
lowing day. 

On  my  return  to  Mosega,  and  approaching 
the  base  of  one  of  those  hills  amidst  which 
the  town  lay  embosomed,  a human  being  was 
seen  rushing  down  the  steep  towards  the  wa- 
gons, with  a rapidity  that  led  us  to  fear  that 
she  would  fall  headlong.  Every  eye  was 
upon  her,  while  some  said,  “ It  is  the  alarm 


92 


ESCAPE  FROM  A TIGER. 


of  war.”  The  wagon  driver,  who  sat  by 
me,  most  emphatically  exclaimed,  “ It  is  a 
woman,  either  running  from  a lion  or  to  save 
a child.”  Yes,  it  was  the  mother.  She  had 
heard  from  some  of  the  party  who  preceded 
the  wagons  that  morning,  that  her  son  was 
there : she  had  ascended  the  hill  behind 
which  the  town  lay,  and  gazed  till  the  wa- 
gon emerged  from  a ravine.  Frantic  with 
joy,  she  ran  breathless  towards  me.  To  pre- 
vent her  coming  in  contact  with  the  wagon 
wheels,  I sprang  to  the  ground,  when  she 
seized  my  hands,  kissed  and  bathed  them 
with  her  tears.  She  spoke  not  one  word, 
but  wept  aloud  for  joy.  Her  son  drew 
near,  when  she  instantly  rushed  forward 
and  clasped  him  in  her  arms. 


ESCAPE  FROM  A TIGER. 

In  one  of  my  early  journeys,  I had  an 
escape  from  an  African  tiger  and  a serpent, 
no  less  providential.  I had  left  the  wagons, 
and  wandered  to  a distance  among  the  cop- 
pice and  grassy  openings  in  quest  of  game. 
I had  a small  double-barrelled  gun  on  my 
shoulder,  which  was  loaded  with  a ball  and 
small  shot;  an  antelope  passed,  at  which  I 
fired,  and  slowly  followed  the  course  it  took. 
After  advancing  a short  distance,  I saw  a 
tiger-cat  staring  at  me  between  the  forked 
branches  of  a tree,  behind  which  his  long 


THE  CONVERT. 


93 


spotted  body  was  concealed,  twisting  and 
turning  his  tail  like  a cat  just  going  to  spring 
on  its  prey.  This  I knew  was  a critical  mo- 
ment, not  having  a shot  of  ball  in  my  gun. 
I moved  about  as  if  in  search  of  something 
on  the  grass,  taking  care  to  retreat  at  the 
same  time.  After  getting,  as  I thought,  a 
suitable  distance  to  turn  my  back,  I moved 
somewhat  more  quickly,  but  in  my  anxiety 
to  escape  what  was  behind,  I did  not  see 
what  was  before,  until  startled  by  treading  on 
a large  cobra  de  capello  serpent,  asleep  on 
the  grass.  It  instantly  twirled  its  body  round 
my  leg,  on  which  I had  nothing  but  a thin 
pair  of  trowsers,  when  I leaped  from  the  spot, 
dragging  the  venomous  and  enraged  reptile 
after  me,  and  while  in  the  act  of  throwing 
itself  into  a position  to  bite,  without  turning 
round,  I threw  my  piece  over  my  shoulder, 
and  shot  it.  Taking  it  by  the  tail,  I brought 
it  to  my  people  at  the  wagons,  who,  on  ex- 
amining the  bags  of  poison,  asserted,  that 
had  the  creature  bitten  me,  I could  never 
have  reached  the  wagons.  The  serpent  was 
six  feet  long. 


THE  CONVERT. 

Another  of  these  grandmothers,  who  had 
wallowed  in  the  very  sewers  of  heathenism, 
the  dupe  of  all  the  superstitions  of  former 
times,  had  been  an  active  agent  of  the  wicked 


94 


THE  CONVERT. 


one  in  opposing  the  progress  of  the  Gospel. 
As  the  representative  of  bygone  ages — for 
the  snows  of  many  a year  were  seen  through 
the  mass  of  grease  and  dirt  which  adorned 
her  head — she  was  regarded  with  reverence 
by  the  younger  females  on  the  station,  as  the 
oracle  of  ancient  wisdom.  She  was  wont  to 
tell  them  what  they  knew  not,  of  the  cus- 
toms of  their  ancestors.  Had  she  been  a man, 
her  contaminating  influence  would  long  have 
been  arrested;  for  there  were  those  on  the 
station  whose  influence  would  have  driven 
her  to  seek  an  asylum  elsewhere,  but  she  was 
borne  with  because  she  was  a woman.  She 
hated  the  very  sight  of  the  place  of  worship, 
and  had  taught  many  to  blaspheme.  One 
day  she  entered  the  chapel  in  quest  of  a child, 
and  was  constrained  to  sit  a few  minutes. 
She  had  not  heard  many  sentences,  when 
she  fled  from  the  hated  spot.  On  the  Sab- 
bath following  she  came  again,  when  all 
who  saw  her  felt  alarmed,  lest  violence  was 
intended  against  some  one ; but  she  quietly 
heard  the  voice  of  mercy,  and  retired  in  an 
orderly  manner.  In  the  course  of  a few  days 
she  came  to  the  author  in  a state  bordering 
on  distraction.  “ My  sins,  my  sms!”  was 
the  language  of  her  lips ; tears  streaming 
down  her  already  furrowed  cheeks.  Her  half 
frantic  soul  would  hear  no  comfort,  nor  listen 
to  any  counsel.  Night  after  night  she  would 
call  me  out  of  bed,  to  tell  her  what  was  to 
become  of  her  soul.  One  day,  meeting  her 
in  the  street,  with  both  hands  she  grasped 


THE  CONVERT. 


95 


mine,  and,  as  if  her  heart  would  break,  ex- 
claimed, “ To  live  I cannot— I cannot  die.” 
Again  she  was  directed  to  the  Lamb  of  God, 
and  the  fountain  opened  for  her  sins ; but  she 
interrupted,  by  saying,  “ You  say  the  blood 
of  Christ  cleanses  from  all  sins;  do  you  know 
the  number  of  mine  ? Look  to  yonder  grassy 
plain,  and  count  the  blades  of  grass  or  the 
drops  of  dew ; these  are  nothing  to  the  amount 
of  my  transgressions.”  After  continuing  in 
this  state  several  weeks,  she  was  enabled  to 
believe,  when  the  being  who  once  persecuted 
and  cursed  all  who  bore  the  Christian  name, 
a mass  of  filth,  which  had  given  her  haggard 
and  aged  form  an  unearthly  look,  was  found 
sitting  at  the  feet  of  Jesus,  clothed,  and  in 
her  right  mind,  adoring  the  riches  of  Divine 
grace,  to  one  who  was,  as  she  would  describe 
herself,  “ like  the  mire  of  the  street.”  Re- 
marking to  her  one  day,  that,  from  her  con- 
stant attendance  on  every  means  of  instruc- 
tion, she  seemed  like  the  Psalmist  of  old, 
desiring  66  to  dwell  in  the  house  of  the  Lord 
forever,”  she  replied,  “ I am  old  in  the  world, 
but  I am  still  a child  in  the  school  of  Christ.” 
She  continued  fervent  in  spirit;  the  subject 
of  Divine  mercy  and  love  so  completely 
absorbing  all  the  powers  of  her  mind,  that 
when  visited  in  seasons  of  affliction,  it  was 
difficult  to  elicit  any  thing  about  her  disease ; 
for,  if  her  answer  commenced  with  the  flesh, 
it  was  certain  to  end  with  the  spirit.  When 
subscriptions  were  making  for  the  Auxiliary 
Missionary  Society,  she  one  day  brought  in 


96 


MISSIONARY  SUCCESS. 


her  hand  her  mite,  a pumpkin;  and  when 
my  wife  remarked  that  she  might  retain  it, 
and  she  would  put  down  her  name  for  a 
small  sum,  her  soul  seemed  to  melt  within 
her,  while  she  asked,  “ Who  is  so  great  a 
debtor  to  the  Saviour  as  I am?  Is  it  too 
small?  I shall  go  and  borrow  another/5 
This  was  verily  the  widow’s  mite,  and  was 
doubtless  followed  by  the  widow’s  reward. 


MISSIONARY  SUCCESS. 

Some  months  previous  to  these  changes, 
Aaron  Josephs,  who  was  once  a runaway 
slave,  but  who  had,  through  the  kind  inter- 
ference of  G.  Thompson,  Esq.,  obtained  his 
manumission  for  the  sum  of  fifteen  hundred 
rix-dollars,  the  proceeds  of  ivory  he  had  col- 
lected for  that  purpose,  left  his  farm  for  a 
time,  and  came  to  reside  at  the  station,  for 
the  sake  of  the  education  of  his  children,  as 
well  as  to  improve  himself  in  reading  and 
writing. 

Both  he  and  his  wife  were  steady  and 
industrious,  having  come  from  the  colony, 
where  they  had  enjoyed  some  advantages. 
He,  also,  was  awakened  to  a sense  of  his 
danger,  and  having  a tolerably  extensive 
knowledge  of  divine  truth,  he  was  soon  a 
candidate  for  Christian  fellowship,  and  was, 
with  his  three  children,  baptized  at  the  same 
time  with  our  own  infant.  The  scene,  from 


MISSIONARY  SUCCESS. 


97 


the  previous  state  of  feeling,  was  deeply  im- 
pressive and  exciting.  Notwithstanding  all 
our  endeavours  to  preserve  decorum  in  the 
crowded  place  of  worship,  strong  feeling 
gave  rise  to  much  weeping  and  considerable 
confusion;  but,  although  it  was  impossible 
to  keep  either  order  or  silence,  a deep  im- 
pression of  the  divine  presence  was  felt. 
The  work  which  had  commenced  in  the 
minds  of  the  natives  received  an  additional 
impulse  from  the  above  circumstance  ; so 
that  the  sounds  predominant  throughout  the 
village  were  those  of  singing  and  prayer. 
Those  under  concern  held  prayer  meetings 
from  house  to  house,  and  when  there  were 
none  able  to  engage  in  prayer,  they  sang  till 
a late  hour,  and  before  morning  dawned, 
they  would  assemble  again  at  some  house 
for  worship,  before  going  to  labour.  We 
were,  soon  after  this  interesting  occurrence, 
delighted  with  further  results.  Aaron  and 
two  other  men  came  and  offered  to  take  upon 
themselves  the  labour  and  expense  of  raising 
a school-house,  which  would  serve  as  a place 
of  worship,  till  one  for  that  special  purpose 
was  erected.  All  they  required  was  the  plan, 
and  the  doors  and  windows,  with  their  frames, 
which  they  would  also  have  made,  but  they 
lacked  ability.  This  department,  of  course 
Mr.  Hamilton  thankfully  undertook.  It  was 
a voluntary  act  on  their  part,  without  the 
subject  having  been  once  hinted  at.  We  had 
scarcely  laid  down  the  plan,  fifty-one  feet 
long  by  sixteen  wide,  when  Aaron,  who  was 


98 


MISSIONARY  SUCCESS. 


by  trade  both  builder  and  thatcher,  set  all  in 
motion.  The  season  happened  to  be  a rainy 
one,  and  as  the  walls  were  made  of  clay, 
there  were  serious  interruptions ; but  it  was 
nevertheless  soon  completed;  for  all  who  felt 
interested  in  the  work,  even  women  and 
children,  gave  what  assistance  was  in  their 
power,  carrying  clay,  laths  from  the  bushes, 
materials  for  thatch,  or  whatever  else  could 
contribute  to  its  erection.  It  afforded  us  no 
small  gratification  to  see  the  building  finished 
with  zeal  equal  to  that  with  which  it  was 
commenced.  Many  important  improve- 
ments were  at  the  same  time  made  in  the 
outward  affairs  of  the  mission,  in  which 
there  was  no  lack  of  native  assistance,  while 
the  language  and  translations  were  attended 
to,  to  supply  the  wants  of  those  who  were 
now  beginning  to  thirst  after  divine  know- 
ledge. 

The  building  was  opened  in  the  month  of 
May,  1829,  and  in  the  following  month  we 
selected  from  among  the  inquirers  six  can- 
didates for  baptism.  This  was  not  done 
without  much  prayer  and  deliberation. — 
These  had  given  us  very  satisfactory  proofs 
of  a change  of  heart.  After  particular  pri- 
vate examination,  separately,  they  were 
found  to  possess  a much  larger  knowledge 
of  divine  truth  than  was  expected ; and 
their  answers  were  most  satisfactory.  It 
was  truly  gratifying  to  observe  the  simplicity 
of  their  faith,  implicitly  relying  on  the  atone- 
ment of  Christ,  of  which  they  appeared  to 


MISSIONARY  SUCCESS. 


99 


have  a very  clear  conception,  considering  the 
previous  darkness  of  their  minds  on  such  sub- 
jects. They  were  therefore  baptized  on  the 
first  Sabbath  of  July,  when  other  circum- 
stances concurred  to  impart  additional  in- 
terest to  the  solemnity.  It  appeared  as  if  it 
had  been  the  design  of  Providence  to  call 
together,  from  all  quarters,  an  unusual  and 
most  unexpected  number  of  spectators  from 
Philippolis,  Campbell,  Griqua  Town,  and 
Boochuap.  From  these  places  there  were 
present  about  fifty  Griquas,  who  happened 
to  congregate  here  previous  to  their  proceed- 
ing on  a hunting  expedition.  These  were 
suitably  and  profitably  impressed  with  what 
transpired,  for  they  themselves  had  been  for 
some  time  previous  in  a lukewarm  state,  and 
were  thus  awakened  to  a jealousy  about  their 
own  condition,  by  seeing  the  Bechuanas  pres- 
sing into  the  fold  of  Christ,  while  they  by 
their  backslidings  were  being  thrust  out,  and 
to  this  we  frequently  afterwards  heard  that 
people  bear  testimony. 

There  were  also  present  parties  from  dif- 
ferent places  of  the  interior,  who  had  come 
for  purposes  of  barter.  The  place  of  wor- 
ship was  crowded  to  excess,  and  the  greatest 
interest  excited  by  a scene  which  was  indeed 
- a novelty  to  many,  the  service  being  con- 
ducted in  the  Bechuana  language.  After  a 
sermon  on  John  i.  29,  a suitable  address  was 
given  to  the  candidates,  and  when  a number 
of  questions  had  been  asked,  they  were  bap- 
tized, with  five  of  their  children.  Among 


100 


MISSIONARY  SUCCESS. 


them  was  Rachel,  the  wife  of  Aaron,  whom 
Mr.  Hamilton  addressed  in  Dutch,  she  being 
more  conversant  with  that  language ; the 
others  were  Bechuanas.  In  the  evening  we 
sat  down  together  to  commemorate  the  death 
of  our  Lord.  Our  number,  including  our- 
selves and  a Griqua,  was  twelve.  It  was  an 
interesting,  cheering,  and  encouraging  season 
to  our  souls;  and  we  concluded  the  delightful 
exercises  of  the  day  by  taking  coffee  together 
in  the  evening.  Our  feelings  on  that  occa- 
sion were  such  as  our  pen  would  fail  to  de- 
scribe. We  were  as  those  that  dreamed, 
while  we  realized  the  promise  on  which  our 
souls  had  often  hung.  “He  that  goeth  forth 
and  weepeth,  bearing  precious  seed,  shall 
doubtless  come  again  with  rejoicing,  bring- 
ing his  sheaves  with  him.”  The  hour  had 
arrived  on  which  the  whole  energies  of  our 
souls  had  been  intensely  fixed,  when  we 
should  see  a church,  however  small,  gathered 
from  among  a people  who  had  so  long  boast- 
ed that  neither  Jesus,  nor  we,  his  servants, 
should  ever  see  Bechuanas  worship  and  con- 
fess him  as  their  King. 

It  is  only  necessary  to  glance  at  the  records 
of  that  mission  from  its  commencement,  to  be 
able  in  some  measure  to  conceive  the  emo- 
tions such  a change  produced  on  our  minds. 
We  had  long  felt  assured,  that  when  once  the 
Spirit  was  poured  out  from  on  high,  and  when 
some  of  the  natives  had  made  a public  pro- 
fession of  their  faith  in  the  Redeemer  of  the 
world,  or,  in  other  words,  when  Jehovah 


MISSIONARY  SUCCESS. 


101 


should  perform  his  promise,  great  would  be 
the  company  of  those  who  would  publish  or 
bear  witness  to  the  same.  In  this  expecta- 
tion we  have  been  fully  borne  out  by  the 
number  of  missionaries  who  have  since  en- 
tered the  country,  the  chapels  which  have 
been  built,  the  schools  raised,  the  crowded 
audiences  and  flourishing  churches  which 
have  succeeded,  not  only  at  our  own  stations, 
but  at  those  of  the  French  and  Wesleyan 
missionaries ; and  extending  from  the  Win- 
ter Bergen,  which  bound  Kafraria,  to  the 
Kalagare  desert  on  the  west. 

Great  as  was  the  change,  we  still  rejoiced 
with  trembling ; having  too  often  witnessed 
the  successful  attempts  of  Satan  to  frustrate 
our  efforts,  and  blast  our  former  hopes,  to 
imagine  that  he  who  had  hitherto  reigned 
without  a rival  among  the  tribes,  would 
calmly  submit  to  the  violence  done  to  his 
ancient  rights,  without  attacking  us  on  fresh 
ground.  His  kingdom  had  at  last  been  suc- 
cessfully assailed,  and  a breach  made,  but  he 
who  had  lately  roared  so  loud  might  roar 
again.  We  therefore  felt  we  needed  a double 
portion  of  the  Spirit  that  we  might  be  watch- 
ful to  preserve,  as  well  as  to  win  souls.  A 
great  work  had  yet  to  be  done  before  we 
could  dare  to  glory.  We  knew  that  there 
were  many  prejudices  to  be  overcome,  much 
rubbish  to  be  cleared  away.  The  relation  in 
which  the  believers  stood  to  their  heathen 
neighbours  would  expose  their  faith  to  trial. 
Some  of  them  were  a kind  of  serfs  of  others^ 


102  PREACHING  TO  THE  NATIVES. 

who  would  rage  at  any  innovation  made  on 
their  former  habits,  all  of  which  were  con- 
genial to  sensual  men,  and  opposed  alike  to 
conversion  and  civilization.  But  we  prayed 
and  believed  that  he  who  had  begun  a good* 
work  would  carry  it  on. 


PREACHING  TO  THE  NATIVES. 

On  reaching  his  village,  after  having  tra- 
velled the  whole  day  over  a rough  and  bushy 
country,  and  walked  much,  I was  fit  only  to 
throw  myself  down  to  sleep.  The  moment 
I entered  the  village,  the  hue  and  cry  was 
raised,  and  old  and  young,  mother  and  child- 
ren, came  running  together  as  if  it  were  to 
see  some  great  prodigy.  I received  an  affec- 
tionate welcome,  and  many  a squeeze,  while 
about  five  hundred  human  beings  were  thrust- 
ing themselves  forward,  each  exerting  himself 
to  the  utmost  of  his  power  to  get  a shake  of 
the  hand.  Some,  who  scarcely  touched  it, 
trembled  as  if  it  had  been  the  paw  of  a lion. 
It  was  nearly  midnight  before  they  would 
disperse,  but  their  departure  was  a great  re- 
lief to  a wearied  man,  for  their  exclamations 
of  surprise,  and  their  bawling  out  to  one  an- 
other in  two  languages,  was  any  thing  but  me- 
lodious. On  awaking  from  a short  sleep,  and 
emerging  from  my  canopy,  before  my  eyes 
were  thoroughly  open,  I was  astonished  to 
find  a congregation  waiting  before  the  wa- 


PREACHING  TO  THE  NATIVES.  103 

gon,  and  at  the  same  moment  some  individ- 
uals started  off  to  different  parts  of  the  village 
to  announce  my  appearance.  All  hastened 
to  the  spot.  I confess  I was  more  inclined 
to  take  a cup  of  coffee  than  to  preach  a ser- 
mon, for  I still  felt  the  fatigues  of  the  prece- 
ding day.  I took  my  Testament  and  a hymn 
book,  and  with  such  singers  as  I had,  gave 
out  a hymn,  read  a chapter,  and  prayed; 
then  taking  the  text,  “ God  so  loved  the 
world,1 99  etc.,  discoursed  to  them  for  about 
an  hour.  Great  order  and  profound  silence 
were  maintained.  The  scene  was  in  the 
centre  of  the  village,  composed  of  Bechuana 
and  Coranna  houses  and  cattle  folds.  Some 
of  these  contained  the  cattle,  sheep  and  goats, 
while  other  herds  were  strolling  about.  At 
a distance  a party  were  approaching  riding 
on  oxen.  A few  strangers  drew  near  with 
their  spears  and  shields,  who,  on  being  beck- 
oned to,  instantly  laid  them  down.  The  na- 
tive dogs  could  not  understand  the  strange 
looking  being  on  the  front  of  the  wagon, 
holding  forth  to  a gazing  throng,  and  they 
would  occasionally  break  the  silence  with 
their  bark,  for  which,  however  they  suffered 
the  penalty  of  a stone  or  stick  hurled  at  their 
heads.  Two  milk-maids,  who  had  tied  their 
cows  to  posts,  stood  the  whole  time  with  their 
milking  vessels  in  their  hands,  as  if  afraid  of 
losing  a single  sentence.  The  earnest  atten- 
tion manifested  exceeded  any  thing  I had 
ever  before  witnessed,  and  the  countenances 
of  some  indicated  strong  mental  excitement. 


104  PREACHING  TO  THE  NATIVES. 


The  majority  of  my  hearers  were  Bechu- 
anas,  and  but  few  of  the  Corannas  could  not 
understand  the  same  language. 

After  service,  I walked  to  an  adjoining 
pool,  in  the  bed  of  the  river,  to  refresh  my- 
self with  a wash,  hoping  on  my  return  to  get 
something  like  a breakfast,  but  found,  owing 
to  some  mistake,  that  the  kettle  was  not  boil- 
ing. The  people  were  again  assembling,  and 
again  requested  me  to  preach.  On  begging 
half  an  hour  for  refreshment,  the  chief’s  wife 
hobbled  off  to  her  house,  and  immediately 
returned  with  a large  wooden  vessel  full  of 
sour  milk,  saying,  with  a smile  on  her  coun- 
tenance, “ There,  drink  away ; drink  much, 
and  you  will  be  able  to  speak  long.”  Hav- 
ing cheerfully  accepted  this  hasty  African 
breakfast,  I resumed  my  station,  and  preach- 
ed a second  time,  to,  if  possible,  a still  more 
attentive  congregation.  When  I had  con- 
cluded, my  hearers  divided  into  companies, 
to  talk  the  subject  over,  but  others,  more  in- 
quisitive, plied  me  with  questions.  While 
thus  engaged,  my  attention  was  arrested  by 
a simple  looking  young  man,  at  a short  dis- 
tance, rather  oddly  attired.  He  wore  what 
was  once  a pair  of  trowsers,  with  part  of  one 
leg  still  remaining.  For  a hat  he  had  part 
of  the  skin  of  a zebra’s  head,  with  the  ears 
attached,  and  something  not  less  fantastic 
about  his  neck.  I had  noticed  this  grotesque 
figure  before,  but  such  sights  are  by  no  means 
uncommon,  as  the  natives  will  hang  any  thing 
about  their  bodies,  either  for  dress  or  orna- 


TEACHING  THE  LETTERS. 


105 


ment,  without  the  slightest  regard  to  appear- 
ance. The  person  referred  to  was  holding 
forth  with  great  animation  to  a number  of 
people,  who  were  all  attention.  On  ap- 
proaching, I found,  to  my  surprise,  that  he 
was  preaching  my  sermon  over  again,  with 
uncommon  precision,  and  with  great  solem- 
nity, imitating  as  nearly  as  he  could  the  ges- 
tures of  the  original.  A greater  contrast 
could  scarcely  be  conceived  than  the  fan- 
tastic figure  I have  described,  and  the  solem- 
nity of  his  language,  his  subject  being  eter- 
nity, while  he  evidently  felt  what  he  spoke. 
Not  wishing  to  disturb  him,  I allowed  him  to 
finish  the  recital,  and  seeing  him  soon  after, 
told  him  he  could  do  what  I was  sure  I could 
not,  that  was,  preach  again  the  same  sermon 
verbatim.  He  did  not  appear  vain  of  his 
superior  memory.  “ When  I hear  any  thing 
great,”  he  said,  touching  his  forehead  with 
his  finger,  “ it  remains  there. ” This  young 
man  died  in  the  faith  shortly  after,  before  an 
opportunity  was  afforded  him  of  making  a 
public  profession. 


TEACHING  THE  LETTERS. 

It  was  now  late,  and  both  mind  and  body 
were  jaded,  but  nothing  would  satisfy  them'; 
I must  teach  them  also.  After  a search,  I 
found,  among  some  waste  paper,  a large  sheet 
alphabet,  with  a corner  and  two  letters  torn 
9 


106 


TEACHING  THE  LETTERS. 


off.  This  was  laid  down  on  the  ground, 
when  all  knelt  in  a circle  round  it,  and  of 
course  the  letters  were  viewed  by  some  stand- 
ing just  upside  down.  I commenced  point- 
ing with  a stick,  and  when  I pronounced 
one  letter,  all  hallooed  out  to  some  purpose. 
When  I remarked  that  perhaps  we  might 
manage  with  somewhat  less  noise,  one  re- 
plied, he  was  sure  the  louder  he  roared,  the 
sooner  would  his  tongue  get  accustomed  to 
the  “ seeds, ” as  he  called  the  letters.  As  it 
was  growing  late,  I rose  to  straigthen  my 
back,  which  was  beginning  to  tire,  when  I 
observed  some  young  folks  coming  dancing 
and  skipping  towards  me,  who,  without  any 
ceremony,  seized  hold  of  me.  “Oh,  teach  us 
the  ABC  with  music,”  every  one  cried, 
giving  me  no  time  to  tell  them  it  was  too  late. 
I found  they  had  made  this  discovery  through 
one  of  my  boys.  There  were  presently  a 
dozen  or  more  surrounding  me,  and  resis- 
tance was  out  of  the  question.  Dragged  and 
pushed,  I entered  one  of  the  largest  native 
houses,  which  was  instantly  crowded. 

The  tune  of  “Auld  lang  syne”  was  pitch- 
ed to  A B C,  each  succeeding  round  was 
joined  by  succeeding  voices  till  every  tongue 
was  vocal,  and  every  countenance  beamed 
with  heartfelt  satisfaction.  The  longer  they 
sang  the  more  freedom  was  felt,  and  Auld 
lang  syne  was  echoed  to  the  farthest  corner 
of  the  village.  The  strains  which  infuse 
pleasurable  emotions  into  the  sons  of  the 
north,  were  no  less  potent  among  these  chil- 


TEACHING  THE  LETTERS. 


107 


dren  of  the  South.  Those  who  had  retired 
to  their  evening’s  slumbers,  supposing  that 
we  were  holding  a night  service,  came;  “for 
music,”  it  is  said,  “charms  the  savage  ear.” 
It  certainly  does,  particularly  the  natives  of 
Southern  Africa,  who,  however  degraded 
they  may  have  become,  still  retain  that  re- 
finement of  taste,  which  enables  them  to  ap- 
preciate those  tunes  which  are  distinguished 
by  melody  and  softness.  After  two  hours’ 
singing  and  puffing,  I obtained  permission, 
though  with'  some  difficulty  of  consent,  and 
greater  of  egress,  to  leave  them,  now  com- 
paratively proficient.  It  was  between  two 
and  three  in  the  morning.  Worn  out  in 
mind  and  body,  I laid  myself  down  in  my 
wagon,  cap  and  shoes  and  all,  just  to  have 
a few  hours’  sleep,  preparatory  to  departure 
on  the  coming  day.  As  the  “music  hall” 
was  not  far  from  my  pillow,  there  was  little 
chance  of  sleeping  soundly,  for  the  young 
amateurs  seemed  unwearied,  and  ABC  to 
Auld  lang  syne  went  on  till  I was  ready  to 
wish  it  at  John-o’-Groat’s  house.  The  com- 
pany at  length  dispersed,  and  awaking  in  the 
morning  after  a brief  repose,  I was  not  a lit- 
tle surprised  to  hear  the  old  tune  in  every 
corner  of  the  village.  The  maids  milking 
the  cows,  and  the  boys  tending  the  calves, 
were  humming  their  alphabet  over  again. 


108 


CHANGE  EFFECTED 


CHANGE  EFFECTED. 

When  I went  among  the  Griquas,  and  for 
some  time  after,  they  were  without  the  small- 
est marks  of  civilization.  If  I except  one 
woman,  (who  had  by  some  means  got  a tri- 
fling article  of  colonial  raiment,)  they  had 
not  one  thread  of  European  clothing  among 
them;  and  their  wretched  appearance  and 
habits  were  such  as  might  have  excited  in 
our  minds  an  aversion  to  them,  had  we  not 
been  actuated  by  principles  which  led  us  to 
pity  them,  and  served  to  strengthen  us  in 
pursuing  the  object  of  our  missionary  work; 
they  were,  in  many  instances,  little  above  the 
brutes.  It  is  a fact,  that  we  were  among  them 
at  the  hazard  of  our  lives.  This  became  evi- 
dent from  their  own  acknowledgments  to  us 
afterwards,  they  having  confessed  that  they 
had  frequently  premeditated  to  take  away 
our  lives,  and  were  prevented  only  from  ex- 
ecuting their  purposes  by  what  they  now 
considered  an  Almighty  power.  When  we 
went  among  them,  and  some  time  after,  they 
lived  in  the  habit  of  plundering  one  another; 
and  they  saw  no  moral  evil  in  this,  nor  in 
any  of  their  actions.  Violent  deaths  were 
common ; and  I recollect  many  of  the  aged 
women  told  me  their  husbands  had  been 
killed  in  this  way.  Their  usual  manner  of 
living  was  truly  disgusting,  and  they  were 
void  of  shame;  however,  after  a series  of 
hardships,  which  required  much  faith  and 


CHANGE  EFFECTED. 


109 


patience,  our  instructions  were  attended  with 
a blessing  which  produced  a great  change. 
The  people  became  honest  in  their  dealings ; 
they  came  to  abhor  those  acts  of  plunder 
which  had  been  so  common  among  them; 
nor  do  I recollect  a single  instance,  for  seve- 
ral years  prior  to  their  late  troubles,  which 
could  be  considered  as  a stain  upon  their  cha- 
racter. They  entirely  abandoned  their  for- 
mer manner  of  life,  and  decency  and  modesty 
prevailed  in  their  families.  When  we  first 
settled  among  them,  we  had  some  Hottentots 
with  us  from  the  Zak  river.  With  their  as- 
sistance we  began  to  cultivate  the  ground 
about  Riet  Fonteyn ; but,  notwithstanding 
our  exhortations,  remonstrances,  and  exam- 
ple, the  Griquas  manifested  the  greatest  aver- 
sion to  such  work,  and  appeared  determined 
to  continue  their  wandering  and  predatory 
habits.  At  the  end  of  six  months  the  Hot- 
tentots left  us ; and  our  prospects  as  to  the 
future  cultivation  of  the  ground,  became  very 
gloomy.  We  determined,  however,  to  abide 
by  them ; and  in  wandering  about  with  them 
we  constantly  endeavoured  to  impress  upon 
their  minds  the  superior  advantages  they 
would  derive  from  cultivating  the  ground, 
and  having  fixed  habitations.  After  a con- 
siderable time  had  elapsed,  we  prevailed 
upon  them  to  try  the  experiment,  and  a com- 
mencement was  made.  This  event  was  pre- 
ceded and  followed  by  a great  and  visible 
improvement  among  them  as  a body.  Con- 
sidering the  circumstances  of  the  people, 


no 


CHANGE  EFFECTED. 


much  land  was  cultivated  at  this  time ; and 
in  the  following  years  the  land  under  culti- 
vation was  much  increased.  I have  seen 
the  whole  valley,  from  the  Fountain  to  the 
Lion’s  Den,  which  must  include  four  square 
miles,  covered  with  corn  and  barley.  This 
refers  to  Griqua  Town  alone;  and  the  ground 
around  the  neighbouring  fountains  was  in  a 
similar  state  of  improvement. 


Ill 


THE  CONTEST. 


Would’st  thou  view  the  lion’s  den  ? 
Search  afar  from  haunts  of  men—- 
Where  the  red  encircled  rill 
Oozes  from  the  rocky  hill, 

By  its  verdure  far  descried 
’Mid  the  desert  brown  and  wide. 

Close  beside  the  sedgy  brim 
Couchant  lurks  the  lion  grim  ; 

Watching  till  the  close  of  day 
Brings  the  death-devoted  prey. 

Heedless,  at  the  ambushed  brink r 
The  tall  giraffe  stoops  down  to  drink : 
Upon  him  straight  the  savage  springs 
With  cruel  joy.  The  desert  rings 
With  clanging  sound  of  desperate  strife — 
The  prey  is  strong  and  strives  for  life. 
Plunging  oft  with  frantic  bound, 

To  shake  the  tyrant  to  the  ground — 

He  shrieks — he  rushes  through  the  waste 
With  glaring  eye  and  headlong  haste. 

In  vain  ! — the  spoiler  on  his  prize 
Rides  proudly — tearing  as  he  flies. 


112 


THE  CONTEST. 


For  life — the  victim’s  utmost  speed 
Is  mustered  in  this  hour  of  need : 

For  life — for  life — his  giant  might 
He  strains,  and  pours  his  soul  in  flight ; 

And,  mad  with  terror,  thirst,  and  pain, 

Spurns  with  wild  hoof  the  thundering  plain. 

’Tis  vain ; the  thirsty  sands  are  drinking 
His  streaming  blood — his  strength  is  sinking ; 
The  victor’s  fangs  are  in  his  veins — 

His  flanks  are  streaked  with  sanguined  stains — 
His  panting  breast  in  foam  and  gore 
Is  bathed — he  reels — his  race  is  o’er  : 

He  falls — and,  with  convulsive  throe, 

Resigns  his  throat  to  the  ravening  foe. 

— And  lo  ! ere  quivering  life  has  fled, 

The  vultures,  wheeling  overhead, 

Swoop  down,  to  vTatch,  in  gaunt  array, 

Till  the  gorged  tyrant  quits  his  prey. 


THE  END. 


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